


Panopticon

by simsadventures



Series: Panopticon [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Sam Wilson, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, Apocalypse, Breeding, F/M, Fluff, Knotting, Omega Verse, Scenting, Smut, a/b/o dynamics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:15:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 77,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24455776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simsadventures/pseuds/simsadventures
Summary: You live in a world where Omegas are extremely rare species. To ensure that only the best and wealthiest Alphas get those Omegas, the government put them in a panopticon-like cells, and only the highest bidders can come near and choose their mates. You are one of the Omegas, and all you know in your life since you presented is your little cell. Steve Rogers is known as the wealthy, albeit dangerous and vicious Alpha in your country. What happens when he comes to your panopticon, trying to find a mate as fast as possible?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Reader
Series: Panopticon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766332
Comments: 124
Kudos: 646





	1. The Circle

**Author's Note:**

> This story is very close to my heart, and I sincerely hope you all will enjoy it :)

You woke to the sound of alarm ringing from the speaker on the opposite wall from your bed. You sighed a sleepy sigh, thinking you would give anything for at least another hour of sleep, but the regime was never-changing. You slowly got up on your elbows, and blinked a few times, to try and wake up both your body and your mind. Once you were sure you wouldn’t fall as soon as you stood up, you slowly rose and went to wash your face.  


The little mirror on the wall served you well every morning when you tried to make something presentable of yourself. You didn’t apply make-up anymore, these unnecessary things you abandoned months, if not years. You stopped counting after 26 months, 15 weeks and 3 days. You didn’t see the point in it anymore.  


When you pulled your hair off of your face and splashed water on it just to make it look less pale, you stepped away from the little bathroom. The only semi-secluded place in your tiny apartment. You found out that calling it a cell wasn’t helping you mentally, so you started to refer to it as your title apartment in your mind. The other Omegas thought you were going nuts, all of them raising their eyebrows when you told them about the little tweaks you invented to make your life a little easier.  


But most of them were not there anymore. You tried not to think of it too hard. You were here while they weren’t anymore. You just hoped their lives improved.  


You stepped towards the little box on the floor, which was pretty much the only contact you had with the outside world. And by the outside world, you meant anything that wasn’t the few Omegas you were allowed to meet every few days. You were sure that if they could, they would keep you all secluded forever till the right buyer came for all of you, but you guessed they understood that without human contact, one would go completely nuts. Not that your situation now was that much better, but at least you didn’t talk to the wallpaper in your room, and you took that as a win.  


Through the box, the guards gave you all necessary, and sometimes a little extra. Every morning, precisely at 7.10, few pink pills appeared on the plate. They were hormones, you knew that much, and from what you were able to gather, they helped you keep your heats at bay until you smelled an appropriate Alpha or until you stopped taking them, and that would, at the same time, enhance your natural scent. Not that you could see any of those changes on your own body. You knew better than to ask stupid questions or protest. You heard the stories about Omegas that did and those were enough for you to keep your opinionated mouth shut.  


You obediently swallowed your pills and grabbed the apple that was sitting next to them on the plate. That was your breakfast. That and a cup of hot coffee. Apparently, they wanted to have you all in your best shape, not letting you eat any junk food, showering you with all the possible fruits and vegetables in the world. You would probably kill someone if they didn’t give you your morning coffee, but you didn’t care about breakfast anymore. It was a long time ago since you stopped dreaming about omelettes or granola. You didn’t even miss it anymore.

You took a bite of your apple and stared at your little indoor garden you were able to create. It took you a good few months before you got all the things you needed, but once you did, you could yourself busy in other ways than reading, writing and working out. All of that was mandatory, so there was no way you’d be able to escape it, but you needed some other outlet for your mind. And gardening seemed like a useful skill. Especially when you were able to grow so many good things. Like today, you could see a few new strawberries on the little plant, and you smiled to yourself.  


The Circle, as they called themselves, would let you eat whatever you were able to grow yourself, but you gave most of the stuff away anyway. It was too much for you, and you didn’t want to be the one keeping all the good food for yourself.  


You made sure you ate everything there was off the apple before you threw it back on the plate and chucked down the coffee to wake yourself up entirely. You made sure you put the plate back into the box for whoever was on duty to be able to take it away again before you made your way to the mat laid on the floor. It was 7.30 now, and your morning exercise began. If you didn’t start in a few seconds, you were sure somebody would yell at you through the speaker, like so many times before, but you weren’t ready for any human contact just yet.  


Your bare feet stretched on the mat, and you put your body to work. It was 30 minutes of morning yoga for you, and you enjoyed every movement, breathing deeply through the whole routine, especially enjoying the sun salutation, feeling your muscle stretch through the downward-facing dog pose, your hamstrings pulling after the night rest.  


When the alarm beeped, signalling it was already 8 AM you released a deep breath, feeling good about yourself that morning. Everything was going smoothly, and you actually codlin wait for the exercising part of the afternoon.  


Your life was simple. Everything was neatly planned, and you couldn’t even imagine your life without this simple routine. It kept your organism going even when you were having an especially tough day. You had a brief thought about what your life would look like if or when you have an Alpha, but you pushed the thought away promptly. Nobody has chosen you so far, and you were in the Circle ever since you presented. There was no point for you to think about such things. The only thing you feared was that you’d spend your whole life between the four walls. But, on the other side, it was probably better than being tossed around between Alphas like a piece of meat. Here you were safe, at least, and that was more than you could ask for anywhere else. Come to think of it, you actually started to dread the moment the door of the Circle would close behind you, never to shelter you again.

“Some of you know the drill, ladies and gentleman, but for those of you for whom this is the first time, let me introduce the whole process,” Steve could hear from the director of the Circle, the biggest establishment confining unmated Omegas for sale.  


He never thought he’d have to use such service, but the older he got, the more readily he realised the urge of the Alpha inside him to mate. Not only fuck, like he was used to for the better part of his life. No. He needed something more than that. And because he obviously couldn’t find the right Omega on his own, he had to use the Circle to help him a little.  


From what he heard, this organisation gathered around 500 unmated Omegas of both sexes, keeping them in little cells, separated from each other.  


Steve wasn’t a humanitarian, but even he found this to be a little strange. If all of them were Omegas, why couldn’t they just move around freely, knowing they couldn’t mate between each other? But the matter wasn’t too pressing, so he just let it go, and kept listening to the director.  


“My name is director Fury, and I’m the head of this little organisation. What we try to achieve is to keep the Omegas in safe as possible, but also available for all of you. Our guards and other employees are mostly Betas, but we do employ some Alphas, and to be sure nobody could hurt the vulnerable creatures inside the cells, we keep them just inside them. The program you paid for is for a whole week because you want to go through all of the cells, in case your mate was here.  


We will go level by level in small groups, and you will be able to stop by every cell to smell whether whoever is inside is suitable for you or not. You will not be, however, able to see them in the first few days. That right will be reserved to those of you who will think they found a suitable match for themselves. You will not be able to interact with them in no way, and, honestly, even if you tried, the cells are made, so they don’t hear anything from the outside.  


There are only the most important people for the system here today, from both spectres, so I hope you can all put your fights and issues aside and try and find whoever would be a suitable match for you.  


I strongly recommend you to take your time, we don’t want to make rash decisions, do we? Alright, I think that is all for now, you can go and check the rooms our organisation prepared for you and your securities. We will start with the tour tomorrow morning. If there will be any questions then, I’m more than willing to answer them all. For now, have a pleasant rest of the day,” director Fury said and walked away from the group.  


Steve stood, watching the people around. He knew some of the Alphas around the room, either from doing business with them in the past or from a more familial environment. He could see his old friend, Natasha, being one of two only women in the room of 20, he noticed her right away. He also recognised Brock Rumlow, a man he used to do business with, but because he was a fucking snake, Steve stopped cooperating with him. But Steve knew that Rumlow wouldn’t be an issue here. Everybody knew who Steve fucking Rogers was, and he intended to keep it that way. He knew that if it came to it, and two Alphas would stand bidding for the same Omega, nobody would dare bet against him.  


He pretty much owned half of the country, and even the people in this room not to mess with him. The trail of bodies left behind Steve and his team was reason enough.  


Steve walked to the door, his bodyguards following him closely. Behind closed doors, Bucky and Sam were his best friends. But in front of all those people, they only meant business and the business was keeping Steve alive.  


When they got to their luxury apartment, both Bucky and Sam shed their tough masks and dropped on the couch. Neither of them was mated, and they were at the Circle for the same reason as Steve. They all agreed that it was time for all of them to do something with their status as bachelors.  


Steve knew it was an almost impossible task to find a mate for himself. He slept with what seemed like half the country and still nothing. Sure, they could arouse him, and sure, he could spend his ruts with certain Omegas, but they were just that. Dispensable pussies, pieces of meat that he didn’t need. He didn’t care about them.  


And although it gave him leverage because he didn’t have that weak spot some of his rivals looked for, it also left a hollow part in his chest. And he intended to fill that hole this week. He was dead set on finding the right mate. All he needed was somebody he could bond with, despite his reputation. He just hoped it was still possible, with what was being said about him.  


He closed his eyes and pondered about all the things that led him there, and he tried to prepare himself for tomorrow. He knew it would be crucial to stay on the edge of his seat to be able to find the right Omega. And, in a way, he couldn’t wait to start the damn show.


	2. Rules are Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is Steve’s first day in the Circle, and he has to get through a lot to get to his chosen mate. You, on the other hand, lead your life just like you always do.

The afternoon was going just as usual. Today you were allowed to meet with the other Omegas, and you were glad for it. Your last contact with any other human, other than the guys pushing the trays with food and seeds under your door, was about 4 days, and you were starting to miss it.   


You’ve had plenty of things to do, that wasn’t the issue. You’ve just received a new material to sew something for yourself on your ancient sewing machine. You loved the activity, and along with the gardening, those were the two things you like doing the most. Sure, you read a lot, and you were sure you knew more about British literature than any other Alpha or Beta out there, but sometimes you needed a break from all the letters.   


And sewing was the perfect escape for you. Right now, you were working on a new skirt for yourself. You knew it was petty and unimportant, but you knew people were watching, and you wanted to look kept together most of the time. There were days on which you couldn’t be bothered to put on more than a pair of leggings and a baggy shirt, not giving a damn about how you looked. But a new skirt wouldn’t hurt anybody, you thought as you sewed peacefully.   


That was until a guard forcefully opened your door, and barked at you to get up and follow him. You knew the drill so you left everything as it was, knowing that in a few hours, you’d be left alone again and you’d have plenty of time to clean up after yourself, or to continue if you felt like it.   


You stood in your door, waiting for the guard on your floor, the 3rd floor, to bark another order, once all the omegas were out of their rooms.   


“Arm’s out!” The bulky Beta hollered, and you all obediently stretched out your left arms, where your codes were. You took a look at the tiny scar under the juncture of your elbow. It was almost invisible to a naked eye, but once you knew it was there, your eyes always found it. The scar looked almost identical on all of you, but it was actually a tiny bar code. That’s how they saw you. Pieces of flesh they could send.   


And even then, you would still be their property, in a way, because the scar would forever be there, they made sure of it the first day you all came in. You shuddered at the memory of the burning hot iron pressed against your skin, the smell of burning meat forever imprinted in your brain. You pushed the memory away as one of the guards stepped in front of you and scanned your code, nodding when your information jumped at him on the little screen.   


He didn’t even spare you a look, walking until he was in front of the next door to scan another Omega. You were actually surprised they didn’t put the code on your butt cheeks or something like that because that’s all they saw you for. A bunch of pussies and dicks, only good for pleasuring the Alpha who bid the highest price.   


You shuddered again and pulled your sleeve over your arm so that you wouldn’t see the scar anymore. You didn’t necessarily hate the scar, it was just that when you didn’t have to, you didn’t need to look at it all day. Long-sleeve t-shirts were better anyway, you told yourself.   


You were glad they were letting the whole floor out today. Last time around they only pulled like 4 of your out of there and mixed you with other Omegas from different floors. You knew people there as well, but those closest to you, the ones you knew for the longest time were actually kept on the same floor as you. So you got pretty giddy at the idea that you’d see the people you considered friends.   


But you knew you had to wait before you could talk to them. One time you tried to talk to somebody outside the lot where it was allowed, and you would remember not to do it again. They made sure you did.   


You were brought out of your thoughts when the chief guard of the shift yelled to follow him, one by one. You all obediently stood in a line, strolling till you reached the big common room, the only room in the whole building that could take all those people. Each of the floors was able to keep about 100 Omegas, and the entire thing had 5 levels. You didn’t even know how the building looked from the outside. If it gave away just how many people were hidden behind the walls.   


When the door shut, the guard just yelled “mingle”, and that was the signal you all could go and finally talk to each other. You first looked for the person who has been there almost as long as you had.   


Meera. Her long pitch-black hair was shining from afar, so you could always find her the easiest. When she saw you, her eyes lit up, and she walked a little faster to reach you in the middle, embracing you with fervour. You hugged her back, finally relaxing after the long walk. You knew in the old world, she would be considered of Indian descent, but nowadays it didn’t matter. Nobody looked at the colour of your skin anymore. People were beautiful, no matter what colour their skin had. The only thing that mattered was your presentation.   


You felt a light tap on your shoulder, and when you looked behind yourself, you could see three other people smiling brightly at you and Meera.   


You giggled and hugged each and every one of them. Kristina, or Tina as people mostly called her, was a tall Omega, with light chocolate hair and bright green eyes, looking like a fairy who just ran out of the forest. Sophia was the exact opposite of her. Her skin was dark as chocolate, her hair beautifully braided to what looked like a crown on her head. Jackson was one of the few male Omegas the Circle was keeping. He was on the leaner side, his skin pale, his eyes blue but his hair was raven black. He was extremely handsome, even you had to admit that, not that it would be for anything. Two Omegas couldn’t mate, it was unheard of. And even if it was ok, you knew that the Circle would never let that happen.   


The five of you sat down to have the much-needed talk, all of you rambling on about whatever was on your mind, not knowing how long they would let you stay out in the “open”, and you tried to make the most of it. 

Next morning Steve woke up with a weird feeling in his stomach. Not that he was giddy, or anything like that. He was Steve fucking Rogers, he wasn’t getting giddy. Not for anything, and definitely not for some Omega. Some Omega, he rolled his eyes at himself, knowing that whoever he picked wouldn’t be just any Omega.   


He could have had anybody he pointed at, but he didn’t want anybody that wasn’t meant for him. True, it was a bit more traditional than most these days, but Steve just couldn’t think of any other way to do it. He grew up in a household with true mates, and he didn’t want anything less than that.   


He shook his head and got ready for the day, seeing that both Bucky and Sam were already up and ready, just having a quiet conversation. When they saw Steve coming into the room, the conversation died down, and they both waited to see what mood did Steve wake up with. When they saw the slight frown on his brow, they both mirrored it. They knew how crucial it was for their boss to be in a good mood. Shit could really go down if Steve’s mood was glum.   


“I think I’m nervous, what about you two punks?” Steve said and tried to smile through his nerves.   


Both Sam and Bucky released a bright they didn’t know they were holding and smiled back at Steve.   


“Yup, also nervous here. Who knows, we might actually find our mates, that’s pretty exciting!” Sam said positively and had to laugh at his friends, rolling their eyes at him. He knew that both Steve and Bucky weren’t as positive as Sam was, but he couldn’t help himself. Especially in times like these.   


“Alright, enough chit-chat. Let’s get this show started so that we know where we’re at,” Steve grumbled and walked out of the room.   
When they got to the main building, the three men met with the rest of the party, who were already there. Director Fury was also there, and Steve knew that if he wasn’t who he was, Fury would probably comment on Steve being a little late, but he wouldn’t dare. He was too aware of Steve’s position in society to talk shit to him.   


“Alright, we can get started. As I said yesterday, we will go in small groups, each group starting at a different level, and each day you will go through one level of the building to see if you find anybody interesting. You will get a notepad, where you can write down some notes, and by the end of day five, you can give us up to three cell numbers, telling us that you’d like to see these three Omegas, and then you will be able to choose also by seeing them. If you decide that you no longer want to go through the building, either because you think you’ve found a suitable Omega, or for whatever other reason, let me know. You will have to wait before all the other people finish the rounds, and you can stay in your rooms in the meantime.”   


Everybody nodded in agreement, so Fury divided them into small groups of four. Naturally, Steve, Bucky, and Sam were together, and Natasha was put on their “team” as well, probably because the Circle knew they were friends. Everybody knew.   


Steve’s party started on the 4th floor. The giddiness in his slowly died down, as cell by cell, hour by hour, he walked through the corridor, stopping by every cell to smell if the person behind him did anything for him, but couldn’t smell one nice scent. Sure, some were sweet and luring, but nothing that would make his head turn.  


He could see that none of his party was scenting anybody interesting either. The feeling with which he woke up was gone. He was all business, and the business wasn’t going good. He kinda hoped he would come in, smell two Omegas and then it would hit him. But that didn’t happen. And Steve didn’t know if he had enough patience to go through the whole building like that. He was slowly starting to wonder if it was worth it.   


His nose hurt from all the whiffing and his head hurt from all the various scents he had to smell. He just didn’t know if he wanted to go through 4 another days like this one.   
When they arrived back at their room, Steve slumped down on a couch, putting his hand on his eyes, massaging his temple with the other hand.   


Bucky was doing pretty much the same, but not Sam. Sam was smiling despite the lack of success on the first day.   
“What you’re grinning at?” Bucky growled Sam’s way when he noticed the smile on his friend’s face.   


“Why wouldn’t I be smiling? I mean, sure, we didn’t find anyone today, but that doesn’t mean a thing, does it? We have four more floors to go through, and I feel it in my bones, I’m gonna find the one. So why should I look like somebody just took my favourite toy? I don’t understand you two fuckers. So what your head fucking hurts, you knew what would happen when we all came here,” Sam shrugged and got up to leave the two other guys thinking about his words.   


After a while, Steve sighed and sat up straighter.   


“You know, he’s right. We’re always so fucking negative, wouldn’t hurt us to lose this attitude for a few days,” Steve said, and Bucky just nodded, knowing Steve was more than right. They all had to bite down and go through it all, because, who knew? It might be worth it, after all.


	3. The Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is going around the Panopticon, trying to see if there was a smell that would entice him. And when one does, he cannot see who it belongs to.

Steve felt as if it had been a year in the Circle, not just four, long-ass days. He groaned loudly as he rolled over in the bed, his head thumping quietly from the number of scents he had to take in, while trying to search for the special one.  


He encountered some nice scents, sure, no doubt about that. But nothing made his insides clench, nor did his skin tingle when he smelled any of those Omegas hidden behind the closed doors. He was a hundred percent sure that there were some beauties behind the doors, and, for the first time, actually appreciated the Circle.  


Sure, it was a dark organisation, there was no doubt about that. But Steve knew that if he saw a pretty face paired up with a nice smell, he might have made a rash decision. But the fact that he couldn’t see anybody made him concentrate solely on the scents coming from the vents of the room. He was only sorry that he didn’t find the right one, yet.  


Sam has been like a ray of sunshine, and true to his words, he was already dead set on one of the scents. It happened yesterday, on the second floor. Sam suddenly stopped in his tracks, and a low growl erupted from his throat, his eyes glowing in the dim light of the corridor. It made the whole group stop in their tracks and look the way Sam was now pacing, breathing heavily, looking a lot more like a madman than a sane Alpha.  


It was clear from that second that Sam wouldn’t want to see any other Omega. He did put down one other number of the cell before, but when he was standing in front of the one particular cell yesterday, he shredded the paper in his hand, scribbling down the number 287 across the whole paper. It was obvious, Sam had found his mate, and while Steve was ecstatic for his friend, he was also jealous.  


Sam told them that this was it, that he didn’t want to smell anybody else because he knew that nobody else would be this good. And Steve envied him. He also wanted to have the assurance of an Omega being somewhere there, made just for him. But, obviously, it wasn’t meant to happen for Steve. He was slowly losing his patience, and he wanted nothing more than to go back home and drown his sorrow in some booze and pussy.  


But both Sam and Bucky persuaded him to stay, to finish the whole thing, and if not for himself, then at least for Bucky, who also haven’t found anybody yet. But unlike Steve, Bucky didn’t let it spite his days. He shrugged off the initial nerves after Sam gave them his positive pep talk, and was now more than happy to try and get the most of it. And Steve was adamant on not letting his best friend down, so he opted for staying. If neither men found anyone, they both could go home, and Sam could come once he got the Omega 287.  


So Steve and Bucky got dressed quickly, and exited the apartment, leaving Sam behind, drooling over the idea of his own mate. Steve chuckled at his daydreaming friend before he closed the door.  


When they were back inside the Circle, Steve’s stomach clenched, for some reason. Steve dismissed it as he thought it was the confined space that caused him the weird feeling in his stomach. The whole area was rather claustrophobic, and Steve wanted nothing more than to be on his way back to his house, with all the open spaces and large windows, the very opposite of the Circle at that.  


Steve started at the low numbers, taking a deep breath before he came to the first door, and he took a whiff. He huffed out more aggressively than he wanted to when he found out that, once again, this was not the person he was looking for. He bit the inside of his cheek not to make a snarky remark, but he didn’t even know to whom the remark would be addressed. Probably to the whole universe.  


He rolled his eyes and took the cells step by step, cell by cell. He didn’t even notice it, but the longer he was walking, the more his fists clenched and his stomach tightened. Steve only noticed it when Bucky gave him a look, asking him if he was alright. Only then Steve realised that it was his whole posture was rigid, and his breathing came out in short huffs. Weird, Steve thought as he took another scent in. And once again, nothing.  


But then he moved to another cell, and his body stopped on his own accord. He wasn’t aware of giving his body an order to stop. It was something primal, something deep inside him that made him stop.  


He raised his eyes to read the number of the cell, just in case.  


_321_   


Steve was suddenly nervous to breathe. His body was telling him a story enough about what was probably happening, but his mind was wary. He didn’t want to feel disappointed, not again. He fought his own demons and took a deep breath.  


And then he felt it.  
His eyes snapped to the vents from which the scent was coming, his nostrils flared and all of his insides clenched. The scent was divine, Steve didn’t have any other word to describe it. It was a mix of sweetness, Steve thought cherries mixed with vanilla, but the undertones were much more vibrant and less graspable. Like the feeling you had when you were completely calm, sitting by the fire, watching the flames dance in front of your eyes, the warm feeling emitting suddenly settling in your bones.  


Steve could feel his hands shaking, and before he knew it, his whole body was pressed against the door leading to the one particular cell. 321. That number would forever be etched in his brain, making him feel the exact same things he did at that moment.  


He did even realise he was growling until he felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he turned around, he saw Bucky, who took a step back, seeing what state Steve was in. The growl was loud and deep, going from deep inside him; obviously, the kind that couldn’t be controlled. His eyes changed their colour, and the usual blue was now mixed with a hint of gold, giving Steve’s eyes a dangerous glint.  


Steve had to use all his willpower not to attack the Alphas around him. His own nature was telling him to protect what was his, to eliminate the danger, even though he rationally knew there was no such danger. All the Alphas in the room have already gone by the cell, and nobody was interested. Those were his friends, and he wouldn’t want to hurt them. So he was glad he wouldn’t have to.  


As he stood there, growling and all, he wished to burst through the door and take whoever was behind the door into his eyes and never let go. He always thought he was straight as they came, but at that moment, he knew deep in his heart that even if he found out it was a male Omega there, he would still want them as much as he did now.  
It only assured him of how much he really wanted the person behind the doors. And how much he wanted to see them.  


“Call Fury,” Steve hollered through the corridor. At whom he was yelling, Steve didn’t know, but he most definitely didn’t care.  


“I want to see the Omega behind this door, now!”

Safe to say, Fury wasn’t a fan of Steve’s request. He told him over and over again that the protocol was to see the Omegas only after everybody finished, and that the very next day would and should be sufficient. Despite Steve’s growling and threatening, Fury stood his ground and told Steve to come back the next day with a number, if he wished to see the person behind the wall.  


It took about one more hour to actually persuade Steve to leave the compound and come back the next day. Steve looked around and saw that Bucky was ready to leave with Steve, but he stopped his friends with a hand on his shoulder.  


“I can very much walk to the hotel by myself. You stay here and scent each and every cell, punk. You deserve to have the feeling inside you that I have right now, we all do. So, stay. I’m Steve fucking Rogers, after all, I don’t need a baby-sitter,” Steve smirked at Bucky who hugged his friend tight, happy that he could stay and give it all one more chance.  
When the night came, so did Bucky, with a drunk smile on his face. And Steve knew that the drunkenness wasn’t of alcohol, but that of an Alpha finding his mate. Steve knew primarily because when he looked in the mirror, he saw the same exact smile staring back at him.  


“So?” Steve asked smirking.  
Bucky sank down on the couch, his head in his hands, smiling like an idiot.  


“364, buddy. My beautiful Omega is behind that door, and I don’t think I’ll even sleep tonight. I just want to see them and then take them home with me, you know? Just to hold them in my arms, forever, if the fate wills it,” Bucky sighed romantically, and both Sam and Steve chuckled at Bucky’s behaviour, even though they both knew exactly what Bucky was feeling.  
They stayed up a long time, sharing their feelings and what they thought their Omegas might look like. Even though it didn’t matter one bit, they all had a vision in their heads. Nothing particular, like hair colour or anything like that, more like that their smiles would make all the boys grow weak in their knees.  


They kinda felt like idiots, especially given their position in the world, being the few of the most feared people, if not the most feared people, and here they were, imagining their Omegas like aa bunch of teenagers. If they were in any other group of people, they all knew they all would be acting very differently. But here they could be just themselves, their dark sides put aside for the greater good. For their own happiness.

The next morning, all three boys were up and ready even before their alarm clocks went off. They were all smiling and chuckling, jabbing each other as they went to the Circle, giddy to finally put the faces to the scents.  


As the whole group gathered in front of the building, Steve noticed that there weren’t as many Alphas as they were when they first came in. Steve was glad, to say the least because they were that much less of a competition for him.  


All of the Alphas there were clutching the paper on which they had scribbled down the numbers of the cells. Steve tried to crane his neck to see if any of the numbers match the only one on his own paper, even though he didn’t need no paper.  


When they all showed their numbers to Fury, he nodded knowingly and whispered something to the guard, who only nodded.  
More guards came in, each assigned to a different Alpha, and they led them inside, taking each of the Alphas to the cells they wanted to see.  


Steve looked around if he was alone around the cell, and when he saw no other Alpha around him, he smirked. One less problem for me, Steve thought and (not-so)patiently waited for the guard to show him the Omega inside cell 321.  


He put the appropriate code on the door, and the whole wall, which was until then pitch black, was suddenly see-through.  
And then Steve saw you.  


You were sitting on your bed, chewing on your lip as you were reading whatever book was in your hands. Your hair was in a messy bun, only a few loose strands escaping it and twirling around your ears. Steve wanted nothing more than to take them and tuck them behind your ears, touching your skin in the process.  
You were even more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. The way you sat there, unaware of anything happening around you, your eyes scanning through the book, you plump lips inviting Steve to have a taste.  


He was growling once again, his body calling for the Omega inside, wanting nothing more than to take you in his arms and never let go. But he knew he couldn’t do that until he paid for you. He just wished it could all be over, and this perfect little Omega could be in his arms.  


As he was daydreaming, he didn’t hear the footsteps nearing him and the visible cell now. It was only when he took a breath to smell you that he smelled another Alpha standing close by. And when he shifted his eyes to see who it was, he growled, this time very much intentionally.  


“Rumlow, if you know what’s good, you’re gonna turn around and fuck off,” Steve spat, eyes fixated on the other Alpha, pretty much threatening his position.  
Brock smirked at Steve before he looked inside the cell to see you in the exact same position Steve did, and just like Steve, Brock growled.  


“That’s a nice piece of pussy, isn’t it? I mean, just imagine how tight she’s gonna be when I knot her,” Brock laughed, but before he knew it, his body was pinned against the nearest wall, a hand wrapped around his throat.  


“Say that again, and I’m gonna make sure it’s the last fucking thing you’ll ever say asshole. Last warning, turn around and go find somebody else, this one is mine!”  
Steve released Brock’s neck because he could see the guards were standing around them, ready to interfere were things to take a more serious tone.  


Brock laughed again, even though the mocking and playfulness were long gone from his eyes.  


“Oh, we’ll see about that, pretty boy. See you at the biding,” Brock smirked and not waiting to hear Steve’s reply, he turned around and walked away.  
Steve growled in frustration, but he knew one thing. You were his, no matter the price, no matter the consequences.


	4. May the Best Man Win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment comes and it will be decided who do you belong to. Meanwhile, you are oblivious as to what is happening outside your room, like always.

There was a weird feeling in your stomach yesterday. You actually thought you were gonna be sick because your stomach was acting funny for a few days, but yesterday, it culminated so that you couldn’t even eat anything. At first, you didn’t know what was going on, and not that you actually solved it, but you figured out it had something to do with the Omega in you.  


You thought back to what you could have eaten that would make you feel sick, but apart from all the homegrown vegetables you had and the little things the guards have been bringing you for years now, you knew it couldn’t have been the food.  


So then you thought that maybe you had flu, or something like that and that you caught it last time you were with the other Omegas in the common room. But that was also unlikely. Everybody was sanitised, everything was kept clean and pristine. And from what you dug up in your mind about the flu, this couldn’t be it. You didn’t have a runny nose, nor did your throat hurt, and you were most definitely not coughing or anything like that.  


You had a slight fever, but nothing that would be cured by ginger tea with loads of honey and lemon.  


It was something else that made you question everything. Your skin. It was prickly, and when you touched your arm, a shock went through your whole body, ending in your core. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought your heat was here. But you couldn’t remember the last time you had heat, from all the hormones they were pushing down your throat. And never in all those years in the Circle did you feel like it.  


But you weren’t about to do anything with it. You knew, for a fact, there was a possibility for the guards to watch you, somehow, even though you didn’t know if it was through some micro security cameras, or what, but you knew they did. And so you weren’t about to start pleasuring yourself for them to watch you do it.  


Not that you never have done it. But always under your covers in the dead of night. Maybe it was bullshit, but you felt safer that way, felt like you had at least a bit more privacy thanks to the darkness. So you weren’t about to do it in the middle of the day. Your resolution was hard enough to be able to resist the temptation.  


And then there were the smells. Through the years, you got used to the notion that the Circle just didn’t smell like, anything, in fact. You didn’t know how they did it, but even when you were outside on the corridors, it still was just a hint of sanitiser, and that was it. Sure, when you were with the other Omegas, you could smell their scents, just like the guards. But because that happened so rarely, you got used to the world almost without scents.  


Sure, there was your little garden, but you got used to it in a while as well, and none of these scents could surprise or disturb you. But not the last few days. You could not only smell the ripe tomatoes on the little bush, and the tangible smell of freshly wet soil, but also yourself. And you just had a shower, pretty much!  


Shaking your head you tried to take a couple calming breaths, working on relaxing your whole body from the evident tension, and when even that didn’t help, you resorted to yoga, because that was the only thing that could always centre you. And after 30 sun salutations, that’s exactly what happened. You breathed out a relieved sigh, but there was still doubt in your mind. Because as much as you tried not to think about it, you knew the feeling would come again. And you didn’t where it would lead; to 200 sun salutations?

Steve was livid. No, beyond livid. There hasn’t been a word in the whole history of English to describe just how angry he was at the moment. Finding his Omega was sweet for a brief moment, and then the fucker Rumlow had to come in and spoil everything.  


Just thinking of the moment yesterday where Rumlow came in and wanted to look at you was making Steve clench his fists so hard his knuckles were gradually turning white. The audacity of this man was incredible, really.  


Steve was the most feared person in this new world, not only because he saved what was left of it, but because he was able to profit on it as well. Half the population now lived in houses his company built, and the vast majority of people were somehow employed by Steve, one way or the other. There were very few places that weren’t Steve’s one of which was the Circle, and even though it wasn’t something Steve was usually interested, as dark as his interests got, he suddenly regretted not having a bigger influence at the moment.  


Rumlow was one of those people who weren’t in Steve’s service because his stuff and hobbies were even darker than what Steve could take. Rumlow was involved in human trafficking, everybody knew it, but because the system no longer the way it used to in the old world, nobody cared too much.  


But because he’s been one of those who resisted Steve’s power and wouldn’t submit, no matter what. And Steve wasn’t about to let some fucker take what was rightfully his. Not even a chance.

The room in which the auction took place was humongous. Large, ancient-looking ceilings, with luxurious tapestries and chandeliers, unlike anything Steve and the rest of the Alphas, have seen up to that point. Everything else in the Circle was efficient, clean, served its purpose. But this room was boisterous, obviously only serving for the sole purpose for the Alphas to have the feeling of importance and luxury. And even though Steve wasn’t usually into that sort of thing, even he had to say that it perked up his interest.  


Fury seated the Alphas in two rows, smart enough to sit Rumlow on the other side of the room, so that Steve wouldn’t have to look at him. Not that it helped too much, because even from where Steve was sitting, he could still see the sly smirk on Rumlow’s face. Bucky and Sam saw it as well, and even though they wanted to do nothing more than break his face, they knew this wasn’t the place nor the time.  


The auction started soon after they all sat down, with the light dimming a little, while Fury ascended on the stage with his signature long leather coat and scowling face. Steve thought that Fury would be so much better on a different position, something worthy his intelligence, but he knew the Circle paid fortune those people who worked there, so he kinda understood why somebody like Fury waisted his life there.  


“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Circle auction. The way this whole thing is gonna go is following. You all submitted Omegas you’d like to bid for, some of you more numbers, some of you just the one. Starting price of each Omega is identical so that you don’t think we’re taking in mins your positions in the society.  


We’ll start with the lowest numbers going up. If two Alphas bid for the same Omega, they can choose whether they want to try and outbid the other, or want the more primitive option, fight for her. The winner will then get the Omega, while the loser will lose the privilege to choose any other Omega in the process. It’s usually the first option that people opt for because even if you lose in a bidding war, you can still then bid on other Omegas from your submitted numbers. However, it’s completely up to you. Just know that you have to pay for them, even if you decide to fight.  


With that said, let the bidding wars start,” Fury hollered to the microphone in front of him, and looked at the paper with the first number. It went on like that for a while, most Omegas being chosen only by one person, so it was really just a question as to how much were the Alphas willing to pay to have their mates. Even though from the looks of some of those people, Steve was sure they weren’t here to have a mate, per se. More like a piece of flesh to knot, but, once again, it was none of his business.  


When it got to Sam’s number, he protectively looked around to see if there were any fuckers who would want to go against him, but when he saw nobody, he smirked. It was an easy win for Sam, and both Steve and Bucky were happy that their positive friend could have what he wanted. But even if he had to spend thousands of dollars on the Omega, Steve would let him. Because this was his best friend, and he deserved to be happy no matter what.  


It took another few minutes to get to the numbers starting with 3. Natasha went first, because, apparently, the person she wanted was from the third floor as well. From what Steve gathered, it was another redhead Omega, beautiful girl, from what Natasha told them. Once again, no other bidders stood up, so it was a clean process for Nat.  


Then, Fury announced number 321, and Steve stood up, ready to fight for his Omega, one way or another because he was positive that Rumlow would be stupid enough to actually try and go against him.  


And true enough, when Steve looked around, Rumlow was on his feet, once again smirking like an asshole.  
“Alright, so what is it gonna be? Fight or bid, gentlemen?” Fury asked with a perched eyebrow.  
Before Steve could say anything, Rumlow barked across the whole room “fight”, and his friends started clapping and laughing like a pack of wolves.  


Fury looked at Steve to see if he agreed with it, and when Steve curtly nodded and shed his jacket, Fury motioned something to the guards, and they ran out of the backstage to start pushing things away from the way to create a sort of a ring in the front of the seating area.  


Rumlow also undressed from his leather jacket, striding towards the ring, followed by howls from his group. Steve’s “group” was silent, just watching the thing unravel.  
Steve thought for a second why would Rumlow want to fight him, and he figured out that Rumlow thought Steve couldn’t fight anymore. But just because Steve had bodyguards and people protecting him didn’t mean that he couldn’t have a fair fight on his own. It was just that he didn’t have to if he didn’t wish to. But that was a privilege Rumlow would never understand.  


Steve and Rumlow circled each other, Rumlow making fake jabs and punches, laughing like a madman, and all Steve wanted to do was roll his eyes really hard at Brock’s behaviour. He acted like a teenager, first time in a fight. But it was getting boring, and Steve wanted his Omega, so he attacked first.  
Rumlow blocked the first punch and went on to taunt Steve with making faces at him, and it was Steve’s turn to smirk. Rumlow was a child, and as strong as he looked, he was an idiot who couldn’t concentrate for more than 2 seconds, apparently.  


And so Steve stopped wasting his time, and actually attacked Rumlow. He hit him square to his chin, sending Rumlow flying against the chest of his friends. But Steve didn’t wait for his to regain his composure this time.  


With a ferocious growl, Steve lurched forward, throwing a punch at Rumlow’s stomach, making him bend down in pain, which only allowed Steve to knee him in the face.  
Rumlow did have a few good punches, trying to save his honour, but Steve was fuelled by the image of you sitting on the bed, patiently waiting. And that was enough to give Steve the strength he needed, and he dodged Rumlow’s sloppy punch to grab him around his throat, and squeeze. Rumlow tried to get away, but it was to avail. Steve had obviously had the upper hand in the fight.  


Fury looked around, and when he saw that there was no way that Rumlow would fight back, he ended the fight.  
“End of the fight, gentlemen. The winner is very obviously Mr Rogers, so, congratulations, sir. Mr Rumlow will be escorted out of the building shortly,” Fury nodded, and Steve finally let Rumlow go. He wheezed and tried to regain his composure to talk back and try to restart the fight, but the guards were with him the second he stopped coughing, and the colour returned to his face, and they dragged him out of there.  


Bucky and Sam just high-fived and nodded at Steve, who silently took his jacket from them, and waited for Fury to say what he wanted to hear.  
“Congratulations, Mr Rogers, the Omega n 321 is yours now. She will be prepared tomorrow morning at 9 AM sharp at the main gate. Oh, and before I forget, her name is Y/N,” Fury nodded before he turned to face the rest of the room to continue with the auction.  


But Steve didn’t hear anything else. Y/N. What a beautiful name, he thought as he sat back down, thinking of nothing else but how lucky he was to finally have his Omega. He just hoped you would be as excited as he was.


	5. Endings, Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re told your were sold, and you’re not too sure whether it was a good thing or not. And then you meet him.

The next morning wasn’t much better. You still felt like shit, even though your fever went away last night and your body didn’t hurt as much today, you still knew something was up. It wasn’t every day that you felt like going into heat. Not that you remembered much, as you only had it once before you were shipped in the Circle to be forever enclosed between the four walls.  


Even though you couldn’t hear what was happening in the hall, you had a feeling that something was up. You were sure how you knew, or what made you feel this weird uneasiness, but every ticking second you felt as if something would go down. But because nothing was happening, you went on with your morning as always. Still, nobody brought you your morning coffee, and you frowned at that.  


But you knew that screaming and making a scene would get you nowhere. You tried it before, and the only thing it resulted in was either your food delivery stopping for a few days to teach you a lesson, or a few good-measured slaps that were supposed to wake you up from your hysteria.  
You very well knew that if any of those guards were denied their food or even their smoke, they would make a scene, but when it was an Omega, it was suddenly called hysteria and you needed to be put in your place. Once, the guard told you you were lucky that they could no longer use electroshocks for your moods, because, apparently, you would be the first to undergo it.  


Since then, you learned your place, and even though there was still the little rebellious part of your soul threatening to lash out sometimes, you knew to keep it on the leash, and only mutter under your breath or roll your eyes when it became unbearable.  
You finished your morning yoga, laying on your matt when there was a loud knock followed by the sound of creaking hinges as the door behind you opened. You sat up quickly, startled by the sudden movement in your room. This was too suspicious for you to brush it off. Three guards were standing in your space, staring down at you, their arms crossed over their chests.  


You knew it couldn’t be the time you were to spend with other Omegas, because they wouldn’t just rush into your room and stand there like this. No, this was something else, something serious.  


“Omega 321, we’re here to let you know you have been bought by an Alpha, and you are to leave the Circle in a few minutes. We are here to escort you. You can take one bag with things, everything else that will not fit into the bag will stay here, a property of the Circle. Now, get up and pack,” the one in the front growled and motioned his head to the drawer on his left to let you know where to start.  


But you couldn’t move. Bought? Move? Pack?  


You couldn’t even form a sentence, let alone to go and pack your belongings. But when his baton hit your mattress impatiently, it startled you into movement. You swiftly stood up, throwing your things into the prepared bag, starting with the most important ones, like the shawl your grandmother gave you when you were little, or the photo of you and your parents you were keeping in the lowest drawer.  


You wanted to take your sewing machine, but when you made a move towards it, the guard stopped you in your steps.  


“That won’t fit. It stays here. If you’re a good pussy, your Alpha might buy you a new one. But I wouldn’t count on it. You are a nice piece of ass, but you will forever be just that. So don’t hope for any romantic unions, that doesn’t happen anymore,” he said mockingly, and you just rolled your eyes, as you continued packing other small things laying all over the room.  


“Don’t worry, you guys beat the naivety out of me a long time ago. Can I at least say bye to my friends?” You asked as nicely as you could, but it didn’t help you much.  


The guard stepped to you and caught you by your throat.  


“You don’t get to talk to me like this, you piece of shit. Not that your Alpha would care, but if they asked how did you like it here, you will describe it as a paradise, am I clear? ‘Cause if I hear you’ve been running this big mouth of yours, I will personally track you down and cut your tongue out, you whore!” He spat in your face, and just to mark his words, he slapped you across the face with so much force it sent you flying to the opposing wall.  


Your hand instinctively flew to your cheek, massaging it as a few stray tears fell from your eyes at the sting in your face. You could feel blood in your mouth as you bit yourself in the cheek as the asshole slapped you.  


The other guards just snickered and high-fived the one who assaulted you, and suddenly a wave of relief washed over you. You knew that having an Alpha, especially one who buys an Omega like this was no victory, but you also knew that there was one advantage in leaving this place.  


Here, you had to stay alive. You were an object, and you were better for them alive than dead. But somewhere else, the Alpha might end your misery by just killing you once he or she is done with you. And this thought filled you with hope.

When you were done with the packing (more like, when the guards felt like the bag they gave you was full enough), they grabbed you by your elbow and led you out of your room. You took one last look and felt your heart gave a painful thud. Sure, there were new possibilities and all that, and just like you said, your miserable life might end soon enough. But you got used to that small room you occupied for god knows how long.  


You gave it a silent goodbye as the guards closed the door behind you four and led you through the quiet corridor. You felt horrible for never being able to see your friends again, even though you all knew this might happen one day. You just hoped you could at least hug them one last time. It would close a chapter for you, but you were allowed even that. Surprise, surprise.  


When you realised that you would have to leave your level and that you would see more than the common room, you got a tad bit more excited. You were never allowed to see how the building looked from the outside. You figured out there were five stories, because Omegas that you met had numbers starting from 1 to 5, so it didn’t take a genius to think of that one. But everything else was a mystery to you.  


But even when you knew you were on the lower level, nothing changed, Everything was still grey and black, clean and smelling of sanitation, very unhomely, in general. There was, however, one thing that caught your attention on one of the lower levels.  


As you were walking by, you could see that one of the cells didn’t have a wall like everybody else, but that you could see into her room through the wall, as if it was a window. But the Omega inside acted as if she didn’t see the guards watching her and laughing about something.  


When they noticed there was somebody coming their way, they touched a panel on the wall, and the wall suddenly went black like everything else around you. Breath hitched in your throat, and your head started spinning.  


What if it wasn’t just this one Omega? As you walked on, you tried to notice if there was a panel like that one on any other walls, and sure enough, there was one on everything single wall you passed by.  


So that’s how they could watch you. You felt like you were gonna be sick. You halted in your steps, your heart beating like crazy and nausea welling in your stomach. They could watch you all the time. You knew that the possibility was there, but to finally have it confirmed, and to realise the whole wall was just a huge window made you sick to your stomach.  


But the guards were relentless, and they pushed you forward despite your obvious issues in walking.  


“If you think that was something, wait till I show you a trick,” the main guard snicker into your ear, and shivers ran down your spine.  


When you reached the ground level, the guards opened a hidden door and pushed you inside.  


“Not that we’re supposed to show you this, but you’ve been here long enough to learn the truth, sweetie,” another Beta said from behind you, and when he clicked something into the computer, everything in front of you lit up, and you could see what it was.  


The Circle was a panopticon-like prison. From the very place you were standing at, you could see every single cell. All you had to do was turn around on the spot and see every single Omega, going on about their days, oblivious to what was happening around them.  


When it all dawned on you, you quickly turned around and vomited the content of your stomach. It only spurred the guards on in their laughter, and you knew that it would haunt you for a long time. This really couldn’t get any worse.

Steve was waiting for you in the room adjacent to the main entrance. He was one of the last people to be brought there, to meet their Omegas in the privacy this room provided before the Alphas got to their the Omegas to their homes. It was so the Alphas could change their minds last minute, if, for example, they didn’t like the Omega’s voice, or whatever small things the Alphas cared about. But none of that was important to Steve. He just wanted to hold you in his arms and take you away from that place.  


He was growing impatient when it was over 5 minutes he was standing there, glaring at the door from which he knew you would have to come.  


When the door finally opened, Steve took in a sharp breath, so loud it caught the attention of not only your but also each of the guards leading you to him.  


Steve took in your appearance and frowned ever so slightly. He could see you were still as beautiful as he remembered, and when you scent invaded his senses, his head span a little. You really were intoxicating.  


But what surprised him was the obviously fresh mark on your left cheek, and the scared look you had the whole time. The guards pushed you towards Steve little more than necessary, and because it took you off guard, you tripped and were falling down like a sack of potatoes.  


Fortunately, Steve was now standing close enough to catch you before you could fall. You brought you to your feet, making sure that you were ok, by putting his fingers underneath your chin and bringing your face up so that you were staring at each other.  


Steve’s eyes bore into yours, making sure you were ok and that there wasn’t any more damage than the visible mark on your face. He knew it had to be one of those fuckers that hurt you, and a sudden urge to draw blood overpowered him.  


He pushed you behind him, checking that you were still standing, and even though you were still evidently shaken and frightened, at least nobody could touch you now. Steve would make sure of it.  


“So, gentlemen. Tell me, which one of you touched my Omega? You can either tell me which of you fuckers it was, or I’ll kill you all, up to you,” Steve said nonchalantly, watching amused how the faces of the guards contracted in confusion and they looked at each other.  


“Cool, so all of you it is, brilliant,” Steve said as he shed his jacket and put it on the nearest couch. Before he could start with the punches, the one in the back pushed the one in the front towards Steve.  


“It was Hank, I swear, sir. We did nothing,” the scared Beta said, and Steve smirked. Everybody was afraid of him, and Steve fucking loved it.  


“Good job, you two, out. Me and Hank will have a private chat here. My pleasure, gentlemen,” Steve nodded at them, and the two guards hurried out of the room.  


“Sir, look. She’s a disobedient bitch, and I was just putting her in her place. I was only doing my job,” the pitiful Alpha said, and Steve smirked even more.  


“Now, now, Hank. You knew very well that I purchased this Omega which makes it my fucking property, and you touched what’s mine. Her beautiful face is ruined because you have to push your dominance on poor Omegas who have no power over you. Real tough guy, aren’t you? Why don’t you try something like that on somebody of the same presentation, huh?” Steve cocked his head, and took the first swing, sending Hank flying across the room.  


Hank was smart enough to know he would never survive this fight. So he did the only thing he saw fit; he yielded.  


Hank kneeled in front of Steve, showing him his neck in obedience, and you gasped in shock from behind Steve. You have never seen an Alpha showing another Alpha their necks, let alone in a fight.  


Steve laughed and shook his head. This fucker was obviously below him, that was clear from the beginning, but Steve hoped for at least a fun fight. He did feel his ribs from the few good jabs Rumlow gave him the day before, but it was nothing to Steve.  


Steve hit him just to draw some blood and pushed him towards the door. After all, he didn’t need his Omega seeing him killing fuckers the very first minute they met.  
“Go, you fucker. And remember, now that I know your name, and I learn that you did shit like this again, I’m gonna come here and finish you. We clear?” Steve growled, and Hank just nodded his head and scurried away.  


Steve breathed out and felt calm washing over him. Now that he established his dominance, he could finally give all his attention to the scared Omega behind him.  


He turned around and stepped towards you, but seeing your trembling form he stopped in his tracks.  


“Y/N, my name is Steve. I’m not going to hurt you, you don’t need to worry. But that fucker deserved punishment for ever laying his hands on you. You are mine, and nobody can touch you like that. You hear me? Nobody, not even me,” Steve mumbled, and when he saw you doe-like eyes staring at him in awe, he took it as a good sign.  


He stepped closer to you until your bodies were almost touching, and Steve let himself get lost in your scent. He knew he would never get tired of it, and that he’d be a lucky guy being able to scent you forever.  


But he had an advantage here. He knew how you smelled from the previous days. But from what he’s gathered, you had no idea what was going on behind the walls until they dragged you out of your room this morning.  


And so Steve did the only logical thing he could at that moment. He bared his neck to you so that you could scent him properly and gain some confidence before the two of you finally left the horror show.  


You were careful, and Steve saw the hesitation in your eyes, but the curiosity was obviously stronger than that. You approached him slowly and being careful not to touch him, you scented him. Steve would give anything to see what you thought of his scent. Not that he ever thought about it until now, but now he hoped he smelled nice to you.  


When you looked at him, he could see your pupils blown out, and the shy smile on your face, he knew that, if nothing else, you didn’t find his scent disagreeable. That was something. Steve didn’t want to push you into anything, and so he didn’t even hope to be able to scent you there, but took your hair in one of your hands, holding it away from your neck as you thrust it forward for Steve’s better access.  


And you didn’t have to tell him twice. He dived in, his nose bumping against your skin, sending another round of shivers down your spine, but this time, it was much nicer. Steve was determined to breathe you in fully, and you let him. For a weird reason you weren’t able to name, you felt safe with this Alpha, despite him wanting to kill the guards. You just hoped you weren’t wrong in him.


	6. Brand New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new life outside of prison can start. But things get a little more complicated on the way

Steve led you towards the car in front of the building, but you stopped and turned around. Hank’s words were still playing in your mind, knowing he might have been right, no matter how idiotic he actually was. You were just bought by this Alpha whom you didn’t know at all, and for all you knew he could use you only as a relief system. More precisely, use your pussy as a relief system and leave you locked somewhere in the basement, never letting you see the light of the day again.

You looked back at the Circle, and a shudder shook your whole body. It was a round building, that much you figured even from the inside, but the size and the vibe it was giving, those were the things that made you close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.

When you were taken here after you first presented, at 17 years old, they put a blindfold on you, so that if you escaped, you’d have no idea where to go next and where you were. Not that you’ve heard about anybody managing to escape, and considering what you saw inside, you weren’t even surprised.   
You turned back at Steve, who was standing there patiently, waiting for you to move again.

“What year is it?” You asked timidly, not daring to meet his eyes.

“It’s 2020. Did you not have a calendar or something like that to be able to keep track of the days?” Steve asked incredulously, his eyes fixed on your face. You knew you had to talk nicely about the whole establishment, so you tried to smile as best as you could.

“Of course, I did. I’m just stupid, I’m sorry,” you mumbled and bit your lip from speaking any further, and began walking towards the car again.

2020, you thought. Wow, so it’s been 7 whole years since they locked you up there.

Of course, they didn’t give you any calendar. You weren’t a person to them, just a piece of meat and meat didn’t need to know the date or anything like that. A piece of meat didn’t need to have contact with their families, or to know what was happening outside, in the real world. All you were allowed to know was the time, and even that came after a year of good behaviour. So, in your case, two whole years.

You shuddered involuntarily again at the memory, and when you saw Steve eyeing you again, you played it as if you were cold. He immediately shrugged off his jacket and threw it over your shoulders, giving you a small smile. You nodded in thanks to him and walked beside him.

When you finally reached the car, Steve opened the door for you and waited for you to get in before he shut it and circled the car to get in himself.

Steve made sure you were buckled up before he started the engine and drove away from the place of your nightmares. You were praying that the next place would be at least a bit better. That you might have some rights on your own. But you tried not to be too hopeful. Because, from your personal experience, hope was useless. The only thing actually needed was resilience, and you had enough of that. At least you hoped so.

The first 20 minutes of the car ride were quiet. You were sitting with your hands in your laps, staring directly in front of you, too scared and tired to move a muscle. You knew Steve said that not even he was allowed to act to you the way the guards did, but you had a hard time believing him.

You’ve heard the stories, every Omega did. Even back in the Circle, the stories of other Omegas beaten to death reached your ears, and you were never really keen on being owned. Because you knew what it would entail. You would be somebody’s property, and they could do whatever they wanted to you.

Back in the Circle, keeping you alive was their sole purpose. But this huge Alpha next to you could decide at any given moment that you were no longer useful to him, and could slice your throat, or rip your heart out with his bare hands. And those hands were big!

Steve could sense your nerves, but every time he tried to move his hand towards you, you flinched so harshly you actually hit your head once, trying to escape him. He understood it, and would never hold it against you, but was not sure how to break this.

“How old are you, Y/N?” Steve asked after a while, thinking that this would be the easiest way to start a conversation with you. Harmless and easy, just what you both needed.   
You stopped and thought. If it’s been 7 years since you last saw anything other than the Circle, and you could vividly remember celebrating your 17th birthday, that meant…

“I’m 24,” you muttered and kept staring out of the window. You haven’t had a conversation with an Alpha for God knows how long, and you really weren’t sure about the rules of it.   
You could hear your mother distinctly saying that you should always obey, never speak before you’re asked, and never ask too many questions because then you’re just nosy. So instead of asking him the same harmless question back, you just set there, listening to your rapid heartbeat.

Steve glanced at you again, and when he saw you weren’t about to say anything else, he sighed. He was extremely attracted not only to your scent but to your voice, to your eyes, to your whole being as well, and him having to sit there without being able to touch you was like torture.

Sure, he’s met some Omegas before, but maybe it was because they were on the streets and not hidden behind the thick brick wall, they talked a lot, and they were happy whenever somebody gave them a little bit of love, but they were tough.

You, on the other hand, were so fragile, that Steve worried if he touched you, you would fall apart. And he definitely didn’t want that now that he’s found you.

You could never understand how much Steve wanted you. Not only your body. Sure, he was horny for you ever since he caught your scent, but that was not it. His soul craved yours, the bond it would (at least he hoped it would) create with yours. The unbreakable, sacred bond his body yearned.

But from the looks of it, it would take a lot more for you to actually trust Steve than him telling you that you should, and Steve was ready for the challenge. Because if nothing else, Steve never quit.

“That’s good. I’m actually 35 so a little older than you, but I hope I can keep up with you,” he smiled warmly at you, and you blushed when you saw the dimples on his cheeks.

“I just wanted you to know,” he continued, “that you can tell me anything. I know you don’t know me, but I intend to be here for you, no matter what. I don’t expect anything from you, and if you ever felt uncomfortable with me, or with any of my men, all you have to do is say so,” he said with a smile which, however, faltered, when he saw you shake ever so slightly when he mentioned his men.

Steve realised how that must have sounded so he shook his head and quickly added, “what I meant by my men, is that I have bodyguards who will be your bodyguards as well from now on. They will never touch you, they will be there simply to protect you from any potential dangers, that’s all, love. No need to worry. Nobody will touch you, not even me until you ask me to, am I clear?”

You nodded as soon as it left his mouth, calming a little at the prospect of what he was telling you. You felt comfortable with him, at least you thought you did. Your heart was beating a little faster than it usually did, and your whole body was a little warmer, but you thought it was a part of your emotional state, and so you dismissed these sensations.

“Thank you,” you peeped when you regained your composure, and he just nodded, obviously deep in his thoughts. You wanted to ask why he was so protective of you when he only just met you, but you didn’t want to pry, so you let it slide.

Steve had so many questions for you. Why did you act so scared? What was it they did to you back at the Circle? What were you afraid he would do? What was your life story? What could he do to make you feel at least a little bit better?

But he knew there were time and place for all of that, and it definitely wasn’t today. He could hear your heartbeat slowing a little, and he was glad to know that you were at least not as strung up as you were when you got in the car.

“Are you hungry? There is a rest-stop not far from here, and I thought I could buy us at least something for the ride because it will take at least another 7 hours drive to get home,” Steve said with a smile.

You could eat, you knew that, but you also didn’t want to seem too needy, despite what looked like Steve’s genuine interest.

“I’m fine,” you said softly, but Steve was having none of that.

He raised an eyebrow at you and looked you up and down. He could see that you could definitely gain some weight, the food in the Circle obviously not enough for a grown woman, but he would take care of it over time.

“Yeah, you’re not starving yourself here under my watch. So, I’m going to buy you something, and it’s either you telling me what you like or me bringing you a shitload of food. Your choice, love,” Steve smirked at you, and you, once again, blushed at the way he called you.

It seemed to leave his mouth so naturally, and you couldn’t comprehend why he called you these names. He didn’t use your presentation to assert dominance, the way you heard a lot of other Alphas did, and it made no sense to you, whatsoever. And he looked dead-set on what he said as well.

“Uhm, then an apple would be terrific,” you mumbled as you bit your lower lip.   
Steve didn’t want to argue that an apple was most definitely not suitable food for you, but let it slide this one time.

When the rest stop came, he politely asked you if you wanted to go with him, but the quick shook of your head made it clear that you weren’t ready to leave the confines of the car. He thought for a second about you running away but thought better than to lock you in the car. You’ve been locked a considerable part of your life, at least he thought so, and so Steve left the car with giving you a warm smile and hoped that when he came back, you’d still be sitting in the car.   
And you were.

You noticed that the cars that drove the same way as you and Steve did, stopped as well, and two bulky men, obviously Alphas, got out of there cars and followed Steve inside the little shop on the deserted rest-stop.

When Steve came back, you were at the exact same spot, and even your arms looked as if you didn’t move them one bit.

He jumped inside the car, throwing the bag with the groceries on the back seat, waiting for the other two men to get in their cars as well.

You then realised one thing. You didn’t necessarily need to pee right now, but if you did, Steve would have to stop the car again, and you didn’t want to cause him any problems. You thought about approaching the subject as delicately as you could, but couldn’t think of a better way than to just ask him. He did say you could ask him anything and say anything, so here went nothing.

“Uhm, Steve? Do you think it would be possible if I went and used a restroom?” You said as bravely as you could, but it still sounded as if a wounded animal spoke.   
Steve’s eyes widened, and he nodded his head, unbuckling his seat again.

“Of course, Christ. I didn’t even think of that, what kind of Alpha am I? Wow! Of course, Y/N, c’mon. I’ll accompany you, just in case there was some unmated Alpha trying to prove something,” he said and waited till you left the car to follow closely behind.

“You think somebody would try anything?” You asked incredulously, and he just smiled.

“This world can be a shitty place, love, but you’ll get used to it. I’m here to protect you from it,” he wanted to touch your back but opted against it because he was pretty sure you’d flinch, and your whole body would go rigid from the sudden touch.

When you relieved yourself, Steve was waiting for you as he promised and accompanied you back to the car.

Driving away, you felt a little better than when he first started the engine in front of the Circle. Because no matter what you thought, he wasn’t pushing you, he didn’t try to do anything you were uncomfortable with, and even though you saw he was fighting not to touch you, you were especially grateful that he didn’t do it.

When you saw him lifting his arm from the steering wheel, you went rigid until you realised that he wasn’t about to touch you, but that he was reaching somewhere behind you. Because of the rummaging of the bag, you realised he was trying to get something from the groceries he bought a while ago.

You saw that he was holding quite a lot of stuff in his hand when he returned it back to his lap, and when you looked closely, you could see him holding two bottles of water and some crackers you’ve never seen in your life.

He reached behind you a few more times before he was satisfied with the contents of his lap, and when his hand came to your sight again, he was holding a bright red apple for you, letting you take it from him without him touching you.

It looked perfect, and your stomach growled loudly. Yup, you were hungry, that much was established. Steve looked as if though he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself and just smiled at you as you bit down the apple like it was the best thing you’ve seen in your life.

And to you, it actually might have been. You ate apples back at the Circle all the time, but none of them so sweet and juicy, making you salivate the second you bit down on it. You smiled back at Steve for the first time and continued nibbling on the little treasure in your hands.

Steve felt joy spread through his limbs because you were eating in front of him, and even gave him the first genuine smile since he bought you. He let the road immerse him, and he let you eat quietly and privately so that you wouldn’t feel like he was too oppressing.

When he looked over at you after 15 minutes, he almost laughed out loud happily. You fell asleep, and you looked so content Steve wanted to preserve this moment forever. And he would make it his life’s mission to ensure you were happy and satisfied from now on.


	7. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve brings you to his mansion, and you start to realise that he is not just some Alpha. You know that you’ll have to learn about him and him about you, you’re just not too sure what to tell him.

The ride was precisely as long as Steve said it would be, and your body was starting to be numb from all the sitting. In your cell room you had the possibility to stand up and do stuff, like your favourite yoga, or gardening and both of those things kept you from going insane. So sitting at one place, especially confined with an Alpha in such a limited space was not the easiest task for you.

When you woke up, Steve wanted to continue in the easy conversation, but you seemed to have gone back to your closed self, and he didn’t want to push you too hard. He understood that you weren’t used to being so close to an Alpha, and definitely not one who just bought you out of the Circle, so he had patience.   
The most important thing for him was that you were safe. He tried to check for any other injuries caused by the guards while you were asleep, but you were tugged in a sweater and long leggings, the only skin revealed was your neck and your face.

Not that his blood didn’t boil when he looked at your cheek, and when his eyes travelled down he could see a faint bruise forming on your neck; a bruise looking too much like a handprint.

Steve had a lot to do to keep himself from turning around and go finish that motherfucker. He made a mental note to call Fury and to ask if they treated every Omega this way. Because as much as Fury and the others always presented the Circle as the most humane and basically the best place for an Omega to live, Steve felt it couldn’t be further from the truth. He still hoped he was wrong, however.

He had no idea they could watch all of those poor Omegas without their consent, and he felt sick to his stomach knowing anybody could have watched you. And if they were willing to do all this (even though Fury presented it as a matter of your own safety) he wondered what else would they do to you?   
He would have to ask you, that much he was sure of.

So, the rest of the car ride was silent and Steve would give anything to see what was going on in the pretty head of yours.   
When he made a turn into the woods, he could see your body going stiff, looking out of the window with an uneasiness about you. Steve knew how it must have looked. An Alpha bought an Omega and now he was dragging her into the woods where he’d devour her before he’d kill her.

He knew that his words wouldn’t calm you one bit, so he stayed quiet and only speeded up for you to see where he was driving you.   
Having the house among the woods was his own, conscious decision. He didn’t need the fuckers from the city coming and boring him with their issues. All Steve wanted was peace and quiet, a little bit of the regenerating nature and that was it.

He could go to the city when it was needed, but didn’t need to live there. Steve’s mansion was on the outskirts of what once was New York. But ever since the apocalypse, most of the city and its suburbs were destroyed. What was left of the city was rebuilt over the years, but it was nowhere near where it used to be in the old world. Where once lived more than 8 million people, now was only about 200 000, and still, New York was considered one of the largest cities in the world.

The Thanos apocalypse, as people nowadays called it, was a combination of natural catastrophes as well as various illnesses spreading, and when it was all over after many years of fighting with it, not many people were left in the world.

Steve was one of those who helped the world fighting it, alongside people like Bucky, Sam, or Natasha. Sure they were young back then, barely considered adults. But their strength and resilience was more important than their age. They helped wherever they could, building barriers, and investing money into finding a cure for the “new plague”. That it was almost useless was not important.

The people who survived remembered their kindness, and they became some sort of beacons of hope and fight in the new world. Steve quickly realised that while the old world couldn’t be saved, he could be among those to build the new one.   
So he started building houses, restarted agriculture at the places where the soil was not completely spoiled. He also invested into manufacturing, and soon became one of the most influential people in the new world.

Not that he asked for it, but he started to like the position it put him in. From a simple boy from Brooklyn, he suddenly raised to a kind of a celebrity, and when he added muscles to the bunch, and he was a bit physical with some fuckers trying to restore chaos, he was suddenly the most feared man as well.   
Steve didn’t mind throwing punches, although he’d much rather deal with things the diplomatic way. But some people, like Rumlow, for example, just wouldn’t take no for an answer, and he had to really show them what he was all about.

And because there were still a lot of fuckers who thought that the new world would change into one full of chaos and despair, he had a lot of punches to give.   
Steve also wasn’t too sure whether you were aware of who he was or not. You were generally scared of him, he could see that, but he couldn’t pinpoint the reason behind you fear. Was it just his presentation that made you act so scared, or did you hear some gruesome stories about him as well?

He would have to find that out. And real soon as well, because one never knew when people start talking, and Steve would hate for you to learn something about him that didn’t come from him.

Your eyes widened when you looked in front of you. A huge mansion was standing where Steve was driving, and a weight fell off your shoulders.   
You couldn’t deny the fear instilled in you when you felt Steve steering the car into the woods, and even more so when he didn’t say anything. Not that you’d listen to him, but his silence was deafening.   
So when you saw the house in front fo you, you released a breath you were very well aware you were holding. He didn’t want to kill you in some random forest, that was a good sign, you supposed.

Another realisation hit you then. You weren’t sure about the world now, but from what you remembered when you were driven to the Circle, people didn’t live in such mansions. Most people were glad they could get by, and not live in some prosperity.   
Sure there were a few of them, even back them, some older than others, but generally people were living in small bungalows made of wood mainly, just happy they survived the whole thing, and that they could start anew.

But Steve’s house definitely wasn’t that of somebody getting by. It was a freaking palace, with all the arches and columns, like something out of an old movie, almost.   
You were aware that your mouth was hanging open, but you couldn’t find the will to close it. Because this was something out of this world. You could hear a soft chuckle from beside you, and you realised that Steve was probably watching your reaction, and you blushed heavily, before you glanced at your hands.

Steve didn’t say anything as he stopped the car in front of the building, and got out, leaving you to your thoughts.

Who the hell was he?

Steve made sure the house was empty when you two arrived. He told Sam to call the other guys residing in the mansion to get lost for a few hours and do something useful, while Sam and Bucky were to take their Omegas to their smaller houses attached to the mansion.

Not that Steve didn’t want to see the Omegas that would spend the rest of the lives with his best friends, but from what both of them told him at the rest station, they were more than satisfied with who they got.

And Steve wanted you to feel comfortable, without the additional stress of other people, especially Alphas, around.   
Both Bucky and Sam only just finished the little houses before they all went to the Circle, knowing that it would be for the best if they all had their own spaces where they could be with their chosen Omegas, and mate in peace.

They knew from the stories that if more Alphas were mating at the same time, things could get nasty no matter how well they knew each other. So this was the best solution for everyone.   
He gave you a tour of the house, watching your every reaction, and making mental notes of the things you obviously didn’t like.   
Like the big leather couch in the middle of his/your bedroom. You scrunched your nose so hard Steve was afraid the wrinkle would remain on your nose for the rest of your life.   
Steve’s bedroom was, in general, a funny thing to show you.

“So, this is our bedroom, Y/N,” Steve said with a small smile, and the one you previously had on your face fell. You somehow forgot about the whole Alpha x Omega thing for a moment there, so this brought you to reality fairly quickly.   
You just nodded, but Steve could feel the shift in your mood, and so he quickly added,  
“I mean, you don’t have to sleep here, there are plenty of other rooms in this house for you to sleep in. I’m sorry, it was presumptuous of me to assume that you would want to share a room with me,” he gave you another reassuring smile.

“No, it’s what you should assume. You bought me, you own me. You can tell me where to sleep and what to do, I’m yours,” you said fighting the tears in your eyes.   
Steve’s eyebrows arched so high on his forehead he felt like they could touch his hairline.

“What? No, Y/N. That’s not how it is. Listen, I know what are the misconceptions, hell, not even misconceptions anymore. I know how it is in most mated couples, or generally between Alphas and Omegas, but I’m not like that.

I waited for you too damn long to now treat you like shit. You’re not my property, you’re your own person. Do I want you to leave? Of course not, but if you see that you can’t see a future with me here, then I assure you I will do everything in my power to find you a better, safe place.

But please, give me a chance to prove that I’m not one of those guys who tie you to bed and fuck you until I’m satisfied, leaving you naked and starved until I feel like fucking you again. I want you to want this as much as I do, and I’ll give you space to think of what you what from life,” Steve finished with a gentle smile on his lips, and you couldn’t help but smile back at him.

You weren’t sure whether he meant anything he just said, but the calm feeling settled in your chest and spread through your whole body, and, at least for a moment, you felt like things would be ok.

Things weren’t that ok during dinner, the first meal you and Steve shared, something his maid (because yes, Steve had minds) prepared for the two of you. You were eating in silence, when Steve looked at you and decided that this was the moment he needed to find out more about your past.   
He still couldn’t see more of your skin, even though he wanted nothing more than to see at least a bit more, a bit of leg, a bit of arm, anything, really.

“So, was it the first time they ever touched you like that?” Steve asked, keeping his eyes trained on his own plate.

He could hear you gulp audibly, but he still felt like he needed to find out. The silence was longer than anticipated, and when he finally looked up, he could see you fighting yourself. He wanted to tell you that you didn’t have to say anything, but then you spoke up.

“It happened a few times before, but only because I can’t behave, you know? They had to tame me,” you whispered and nudged the potatoes on your plate. The appetite you worked up suddenly leaving your body.

Steve set his jaw and had to fight the urge to start screaming. He knew that it was just a thing you said because you didn’t want to share the truth, but still.

“Listen, Y/N. I don’t know what they told you, but we both know that you don’t deserve to be beaten up, especially not by some fucking Alphas. You don’t have to tell me, not now anyway. But please, don’t tell me you deserved something like this. If I ever see somebody touching you like that again, I won’t stop at a few punches,” he all but growled, and you shuddered.

You could just nod and you both ate in silence, once again. Then, you thought of something to ask, and you surpassed the thought of just leaving it. He told you that it was ok to ask, so you were gonna ask.

“How come you have this kind of mansion, Steve? I know I’ve been locked up for a long time, but even as we drove through the country, there were mostly small houses scattered around. So, how come you have all this?”

Steve smiled a little, knowing this conversation was pending.

“My name is Steve Rogers, sweetheart,” he told you lightheartedly, and when he saw your jaw going slack, he snorted out a laugh.

He was who now?


	8. Who We Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve tells you more about himself, and you know that it’s your turn to open up a bit as well. As much as you don’t want to think about the past.

The information was swirling around your mind. Steve Rogers. You knew who Steve was from before you were locked up. When everything was going to hell, there was this party of people, whom the world started calling the Avengers for the humanitarian work they were doing to protect the planet.   
Not that you thought of them often while you were locked behind the thick walls of the Circle. When you first came there, sure, you had this recurring dream that these men and women would swoop in and kidnap you from the hellish place. But when it was more than two months behind bars, you realised nobody was saving you. You were on your own.   
Until now, that was. 

You didn't understand it one bit. If he was who he said he was, why did he buy just one Omega? From the looks of it, he could afford to buy the whole place and have a different Omega for every hour of the day, spread out for him and waiting.   
But here you were, just you and him, sitting in his dining room, while he wore a soft smile on his lips as he watched you connecting the dots.   
You weren't too sure how long you were like that, quiet and staring into the wall behind Steve, thinking about all the things you've heard, inevitably going back to the times when you weren't just a piece of meat to be sold, but an actual person.

Those times were something you haven't thought of for a long time. You knew nothing good would come out of it, thinking about your family and your dreams before all that stuff happened. The only thing you could do in the Circle was to forget who you were and adapt to the new circumstances. That was the only possibility for your survival.   
You shook your head, getting rid of the invading thoughts and looked directly at Steve. 

"Why me?" You asked blatantly, tired of having to always had a some kind of shield in front of you. If he killed you, you'd let him. At least it wouldn't be by the hands of the brutes back at that facility. 

"Why you, what? Why I chose you, Y/N?" Steve asked quizzically, and all you could do was to nod your head, biting your lower lip. 

“Your scent, it spoke to me. I know you probably haven't met many Alphas in your life, because you were simply never given the opportunity, except for the few guards there. I was able to smell so many Omegas my brain almost jumped out of my skull. But when I smelled you, I knew you had to be mine. I know how it sounds, and I have no intentions of pushing you somewhere you don't want to be, but I also value honestly, above all else. So I find it easier to tell you the truth than to create some elaborate lie," he smiled at you, and you gave him an appreciative nod. 

Honesty was the best thing you could ask for. And from the looks of things, Steve wanted you to be honest as well.   
That would be a more challenging task for you because you weren't even sure what was the truth anymore. You also weren't too sure if you wanted to open that Pandora's box just yet. Because too many dark secrets locked were locked in there, nudging at the inside of your brain to be let loose. 

"But, how come you're not mated already? I guess you're something like a celebrity now," you added shyly, looking down at your intertwined hands under the table. 

"When the world was down, I didn't feel like it was necessary to find myself a mate, there were more pressing issues then. When we started rebuilding the world, I also had entirely different thoughts on my mind, and when I finally thought that I could find somebody for myself, there just wasn't anybody suitable.   
There were some Alpha and Beta females, with the occasional Omegas but there are very few out there in the normal world. The woman I spend the most time with turned out to be power-lustful, and I ended that relationship. 

The Circle was one of the last resorts, or so I felt, and I wasn't even that hopeful that it would work. I wouldn't go just with anyone. The scent of the Omega I wanted to take home had to be perfect. And, to my utter surprise, I found you. You were like a breath of fresh air, and I couldn't wait to get you out of there. I'm sorry if I'm rambling, I'm just so happy you're here," he concluded, and when you looked at him, really looked at him, you could see there was what you assumed was a shy smile. 

This big bad Alpha was sitting in front of you, offering you safety and honesty, obviously as unsure as you were, or maybe a little less, but that didn't matter at that moment. 

You smiled at him as well, trying to convey all your emotions in that one simple expression. It seemed to have done the trick because Steve's shoulders evidently loosened and he took in a relieved breath. You were showing him that you weren't in as much tension as you were before, and that simple act was enough for him to calm his nerves a little.   
"May I ask you something, Y/N?" Steve asks suddenly with a more serious expression. 

You gulp so loud that you're sure even Steve heard it, but nod nevertheless. 

"You don't have to answer if you don't feel like it. But I'm a curious man, and I thought I could give it a try. So, how did you end up in the Circle?"   
You knew the question was inevitable and logical, so you weren't surprised that Steve asked it, but still. Dread rose inside your chest. You took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves, telling yourself that a simple memory cannot hurt you. Not anymore. 

Steve was well aware of the battle you had with yourself, but he patiently waited for the verdict. It was obviously a touchy subject and had he known about it before, he wouldn't be so stupid as to ask it right away. But the question has been pressing on his mind ever since he laid his eyes on you. 

He knew there were really only a few possibilities for you to get there. One was for the Circle to find you on their own and dragging you out of your home forcefully. The second was for a friend or a neighbour to rat you out, tell the Circle about your presentation, and the rest would be the same as with the first option. Then there was the worst one. Your own family selling you to that facility. And although he dreaded your answer, he also needed to know more, to know your past even if only from the little glimpses you were willing to give him. 

"I was a pretty late bloomer, I only just turned 17 when my first heat hit me. My parents were both Betas, so it came as a surprise for all of us that I presented as Omega. I suffered for a week in excruciating pain, and they were by my side the whole time. The thought of Omega-keeping facilities didn't even cross my mind, because they were only just starting, really. 

Well, when my heat ended, two men appeared in front of our door, asking for me. I prayed that my parents would fight for me, try to do everything in their power to get rid of those men trying to take me away from them. I was still just a child, or so I thought. But then I heard my father's voice, cold and detached, asking for the money they were promised in exchange for me going with them. 

I cried so hard, and I tried to run away, but it was useless. They beat the shit out of me when they found me in the near forest, my father giving me the last punch for disgracing our family. According to him, I should have been obedient like the little bitch I was born to be, then he told me that I would die a whore and walked back to our house.   
That's how I found myself in the Circle. I kept a photo of my family with me, to remember the better days before nature decided to step in and ruin everything," you concluded, and took in a ragged breath, trying to regain composure. 

Your revelation was met with silence from the man sitting across the dining table. Lifting your head, you tried to see his reaction, and was met with a boring stare and a vein pulsing on Steve's neck.   
Like that, he did look like the man from the stories. Strong and powerful and angry. Anger was all you could see, and for a second, you thought it was directed at you. 

But when Steve spoke up, you realised that you weren't the one who'd catch hell. 

"Your own parents? Oh boy, for their own sake, I hope they died a long time ago, because nobody treats my Omega this way. Not even her family!" He growled, and your lips turned upside a little.   
_His Omega._

It made a weird tingling sensation bubble in the pit of your stomach, spreading through your chest and to your limbs, and all of a sudden, you felt like you were buzzing.   
Steve obviously noticed the change in your energy as well, looking at you as if you were the sun itself.   
You've never felt like this, not before you met Steve, but for a reason, you couldn't comprehend, you felt safe. 

Here was this Alpha that everybody knew, a man who could crush your skull in his bare hands if he felt like it, and the only thing your poor body was feeling, was safety and calm. It felt as if this whole time you couldn't breathe, whereas suddenly, being there with him gave your lungs space and freedom they needed to draw the air in properly. 

Steve calmed down almost immediately, seeing how relaxed you were despite his anger outburst moments ago. He cleared his throat and stood up from his chair, picking up your empty plates to bring them to the kitchen. 

You weren't too sure if you could stand up, or where you'd go after that, so you patiently remained seated, waiting for Steve to return and for him to tell what was to come next.   
When Steve returned, he found you sitting at the exact spot, with your hands exactly the way you had them when he left, and he realised that although you might be a bit more relaxed with him now, it would still take a lot more time for you to be genuinely yourself with him. 

"C'mon, Y/N. What would you like to do? Are you tired? Want to go to sleep, or would you like to go to the living room, maybe read something, or watch some classic movie?" Steve asked with a smile. 

You thought about the propositions for a minute and realised that even though the toll from the whole day left you exhausted, you weren't ready to say goodnight to Steve just yet.   
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to watch something," you piped, and Steve smiled at you encouragingly. Baby steps, he thought as he led you towards the living room. 

Titanic was playing on the screen, but you couldn't concentrate on it. Your whole body felt weird. Sure, you were tired, but that couldn't be it. Your stomach hurt, your head was spinning, and your nose was suddenly full.   
When you sneezed, you pulled Steve's attention on you fully. 

"Are you ok, Y/N?" He looked at you, trying to decipher what was going on.   
It was when you whined and clutched your stomach that Steve lurched out of the sofa and lifted you in his arms, all but running towards the closest bathroom.   
The second you saw the toilet, your stomach turned, and you jumped out of Steve's arms and emptied your stomach with loud groans.   
Steve didn't even think, he instinctively pushed your hair out of the way and scratched your back soothingly, letting your calm down at you own pace.   
When you felt like there wasn't anything left for you to throw up, you washed your face and took a look in the mirror. Another sneeze erupted from your throat, and Steve's hand landed on your forehead, obviously measuring your temperature like a mother hen. 

"I'm fine, it's probably from all the stress and all that," you gave Steve a reassuring smile, and he just nodded, still not too sure that that was all.   
He brought you to the spare room right next to his bedroom, knowing that you wouldn't want to sleep in one bed with him just yet. You were immensely grateful to him for this. 

"I'm just one word away, Y/N. All you have to do is call, and I'll be by your side in a second, alright? If you don't feel ok, we can call our doctor so that he checks on you thoroughly," Steve said, and you just nodded, already lying down in the bed, too tired to answer.   
Before Steve could even leave, your light snores could be heard in the room. Steve would let his heart jump at the sight of you in his house, but your vomiting and sneezing brought a feeling of uneasiness to him. 

He was about to call the doctor when his phone rang.   
_Bucky._

"What's up, Buck? Your Omega asleep as well?" Steve said, trying to sound as normal as possible. But it was Bucky who was obviously worried.

"All was good until she started vomiting and sneezing, and now I think she's got a fever," Bucky murmured, his voice somewhere between pissed and worried. Steve knew the feeling all too well because those were precisely the same emotions twirling in his system.

He was angry that when you could finally be safe and relaxed, your body has to betray you, and you can't have a moment of peace, while he was also worried what might be the cause. And if Bucky's Omega was exactly the same, it meant that whatever was happening was caused by the two of your(three, if Steve thought that Sam's Omega would be undergoing the same thing) leaving the Circle. 

Steve told Bucky all he knew, and they agreed that there wasn't time to waste, they would call the doctor right away just to be on top of this thing.   
The more Steve thought about it, the more sense it actually made. 

You've been locked up for 7 long years. And suddenly you were faced with the real world, with all its germs and bacterias, dirt and pollen, and all that a healthy body was used to, while it was an almost entirely new sensation to you.

Steve prayed that it was just this. Because you could take vitamins and Steve and you could take other precautions to ease you into this world slowly. But if it was something more serious…  
_No!_

Steve shouted at his own brain. Not thoughts like that. You'd be fine. Steve would make sure of it.


	9. Natural Causes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re not feeling any better and Steve tries to find the cause of your sudden sickness. Meanwhile, you try to open a little more.

Groaning, you opened your eyes to see you were in bed. For a second, you thought you were back in the Circle, and your stomach turned once again, but once your brain fully woke up, you realised you were at Steve’s house, and you calmed down immediately.

Weird how you started trusting that Alpha so easily, despite not knowing much about him, except the little he told you and the little you’ve heard about him before you were locked up.   
But still, you felt safe in his house with him. That couldn’t be said about your stomach, however. You still felt sick, and images from the night before flooded your mind, reminding you of all the vomiting and almost passing out, which you eventually did because you had no recollection whatsoever of how you got in the bed.

You looked around the room to see a glass of water and what looked like Advil on the bedside table and smiled a little. You popped it in and took a chug of the water, feeling relieved immediately.

That was until you heard voices from behind your door. When they opened, they revealed Steve and an unknown man, obviously Beta from the smell.   
You calmed down, hoping that Steve wouldn’t let just anybody to you, and from the case in his hand and thermometer in his hand, you assumed he was a doctor. Not that you wanted to be examined, but Steve’s look was pretty determined.

“Morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?” The unknown man asked, and you slightly squirmed.

“It’s alright, Y/N. This is doctor Toews, he takes care of us whenever we’re feeling like shits. I called him just to be sure you didn’t look that great yesterday, and your colour is still not fully back in your face. He’s just gonna check you, take your blood to run some tests just to be on the safe side of the thing, and then he’ll be on his way, alright?” Steve offered you a small smile, and you couldn’t help but nod.

The doctor gave you an appreciative nod and stepped closer, doing a full check-up. You were patient throughout the whole thing until he asked you to roll up your left sleeve so that he could take your blood.

All the blood from your face was suddenly gone, and you gulped harshly. Steve didn’t see the “tattoo”, the scar they put on your skin to be able to identify you easily. Not that you were ashamed of it, but you definitely weren’t comfortable. It was just one of those things that you didn’t want to see, even for yourself, because it reminded you of the place and of your place in the society too much.

“It’s alright, Y/N, it’s not gonna hurt that much, just a pinch and then it’s gone, right, doc?” Steve tried to loosen up your nerves.   
You shook off your insecurities and rolled up the sleeve, hearing gasps leaving both Steve’s and the doctor’s mouths.

“The hell is that?” Steve growled as he came closer, gently taking your arm in his hand and inspecting the code.   
You turned your head, not even wanting to look at it.

“Can you just take the blood, please?” You wheezed, and the doctor seemed to have woke up form the trance as he snatched your arm and did a quick job with the injection. Once the ampule was full of the red liquid, you swiftly pulled your sleeve down and tugged your arms under your legs. From what you could tell, the scar was no longer invisible but was pinkish and almost red and screaming. You weren’t sure why, because the last time you actually looked at it, it was small and invisible.

Steve didn’t say another word but accompanied the doctor out of your room, and you assumed out of the house before you heard his footsteps nearing you once again.   
“How are you feeling?” Steve asked, and even though he tried to sound as calm as possible, you could hear the storm brewing under his skin.   
“A little better, really. Not feel like dying like last night, so…” you trailed off, knowing what would come next.   
Steve sighed and sat on the edge of your bed, playing with his hands before he looked at you intensely.

“Please, show me your arm again, Y/N,” Steve whispered, and you didn’t oppose him. You couldn’t.

Outstretching your arm, you let him roll up your sleeve again and inspect the code closely. You could hear the rumbling in his chest and sighed at the sound of it.   
“Does it hurt?” He asked, still not taking his eyes off of the scar.   
You shook your head no, but couldn’t will your voice to materialise.   
He hummed under his breath and took the antiseptic from the table to wipe it across the scar. It didn’t sting; actually, it didn’t do anything.

“What is it?” Steve eyed you up and down and let go of your arm, but caught your hand in his instead.   
“It’s a bar code, something like an identification number if you will. They branded us the first day we stepped inside the facility so that they knew the numbers and all of that. Just like cattle,” you mutter, earning a vicious growl from Steve.   
He looked at you apologetically after you shivered in fear, and held your hand tighter.

“The doc thinks all of this has something to do with your immunity, and it honestly makes sense. You’ve been locked up for so long, unable to breathe in the air surrounding us, eating only what they gave you, and we have no idea where they got it. He recommended some vitamins for you to take, and said that all we had to do was to sit and wait. It should get better over time,” Steve tried to sound positive.

“So, it’s nothing serious, then? I’m not gonna die?” You smiled up, and he shook his head while huffing out a laugh.  
“No, you’re definitely not gonna die, doll. He said he’d call me as soon as he got the results from your blood, told me to give him at least 24 hours, but that we’ll be his priority. So, until then, you’re gonna stay in bed and take those damn vitamins, had my men go for them immediately, and we wait,” Steve squeezed your hand and wanted to let go, but you held on tighter.

“I just wanted to say thank you, Steve, for saving me and for taking care of me,” you said meekly, and Steve smiled bringing your hand to his lips and kissing the top of your hand lightly.   
“Always, princess. I’m just glad you’re gonna be ok,” he winked at you and left you to rest some more.

You were in and out for the rest of the day and night, your system obviously fighting all the unknown things around you, but even though you threw up some more, you were feeling much better, especially knowing that it wasn’t something too serious.

You could hear Steve in the house, talking to somebody over the phone every now and then, but you never heard anybody else. He did tell you that he sent his men away for the time being, and while you were glad, you were also kinda curious.

Curious especially about the two men you saw on your way to Steed’s house, the men who you learnt were Bucky and Sam, Steve’s right-hand men, the people he trusted the most in the world. He didn’t even have to tell you anything, that much was evident from the little he told you about them.   
From what you’ve gathered, they both found their mates at the Circle as well, and you were super excited to meet them one day. You might even know them, you thought to yourself as a certain giddiness took over you.

Too much excitement wasn’t good for you, apparently, because the second you felt the endorphins swell in your body, your stomach turned, and you hurried to the bathroom.   
It was the next morning already, and you awaited Steve’s arrival with some new about the status of your health. You hoped he would just say that you’d have to take the vitamin for another few months and that everything would be as good as it seemed the morning before.

You knew you still had a slight fever, and while your stomach felt a little bitter, the other parts of you didn’t. You didn’t want to worry Steve, and also, you didn’t know him well enough to talk to him about those things, but you were… feeling stuff.

Stuff in your core, this weird warmth that spread from your lower belly to your limbs and to your neck, making it hard to breathe. You tried to ignore it, but whenever Steve walked inside the room, it seemed to have gotten worse.

By noon you were covered in a layer of sweat, and tossing around in the warm bed. You needed to get out. Steve was still on the phone and used the opportunity to have a long-ass shower.

You peeled off the clothes that were sticking to your skin and got inside the shower.   
You were one of those people who loved warm, no scratch that, boiling-hot showers. That kind from which you got out and couldn’t see your nose thanks to all the steam.   
But the second the hot water hit your skin, you hissed and turned to faucet to the right, turning the stream from hot to icy cold in a few seconds. Your whole body relaxed, and you could finally take in a breath.

Weird, you thought but tried to dismiss all the thought swirling in your brain, because they just weren’t making any sense. This all had something to do with your immune system, and that was all that was to it. Must have been.

“Y/N?” You heard Steve’s voice coming from your room.   
You sighed and prayed that he wouldn’t enter the room where you were stark naked, taking a cold shower.

“I’m taking a shower, Steve. Did you need something?” You asked loudly, trying to scream over the stream of falling water.   
“I’ll just wait here, take your time. The doc called, and I have some news that I’d like to discuss with you,” he hollered, and you nodded, not really realising he couldn’t see that.   
You tried to be as fast as possible, scrubbing away all the dirt and sweat from the day spent sick in bed, and when you finally felt like you could face the world again, you turned the shower off and stepped out.

But the second you did so, your skin was clammy again, and you groaned out loud. You took in a breath, and it seemed to have made everything even worse.   
Steve’s scent entered your whole being, and you shuddered from the intensity of it. Your body’s reaction scared you a little, but your brain was suddenly getting all kinds of foggy, and the thoughts weren’t as clear as you’d like them.

Still, you shook your head and got dressed quickly, wanting to hear what Steve found out.   
When you stepped out of the bathroom, you had to take the doorknob to stabilise your steps, because you were sure you’d fall without some kind of support.   
Steve’s scent from so close screamed Alpha at you, and you were worried that if you let go of the door, you’d either pass out from the sensation in your body or jump his bones. Or both.

He looked you up and down and made a move to step closer to you, but you stopped him with your raised hand.   
“What did the doctor say, Steve?” You hissed through your set jaw, shutting your eyes and trying to keep at least some leash on your thoughts and body. Not that it was helping much.   
“Are you alright, Y/N?” Steve asked, breathing you in and growling in process. He could smell your pussy, that much was clear. Your cheeks were flushed as was your neck, beads of sweat were gathering on your forehead, and the scent you were oozing was strong enough for Steve’s knees to buckle slightly. You were fertile and calling for Steve’s knot.

“What did he say, Steve?” You gritted and gave him a pointed look that made him gulp. He wasn’t afraid of you, no. Steve was afraid of himself at that very moment.   
He promised not to hurt you, not to push you into anything, while here he was, seconds away from taking you against the door.   
“He said that while most of the stuff you were experiencing was caused by your low immunity, not everything was caused by that. They were making you take hormones so that you didn’t experience heat, right? Well, he said that without those hormones, your body is doing the natural thing. As if you were suddenly off birth control, your body is trying to get your system in the natural state. So, you’re likely to experience heat, especially if you are in close contact with an Alpha,” Steve growled the last part, obviously holding onto the last part of his sanity as he breathed you in once again.

You nodded in understanding as the message travelled through your body.   
And somehow, the information didn’t surprise you one bit. Somewhere deep down, you knew what was happening, but because you only ever experienced one heat, you couldn’t be too sure. But your body was, and right now it was taking over all the rational thoughts swirling in your brain.

_You were in heat._


	10. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your heat hits, and Steve tries to do his best to keep his promise. But the longer it takes, the less he believes in himself.

Sweat was gathering on your forehead, and your chest felt tighter than ever before. It almost felt as if there was an invisible force standing behind you, gripping your chest in both hands and squeezing the life out of you.   
You could see Steve’s eyes changing colours, and in a moment he looked like a completely different person. He was still trying to regain the composure over himself, but the lust in his eyes was evident even from where you were standing. His back was slightly hunched, and he too breathed heavier than before you went into the shower.   
All of this was something you vaguely remembered your mother told you about Alphas and Omegas spending their heats together, so it didn’t surprise you all that much.   
What however did surprise you was your own reaction to the whole situation. You thought you’d be scared, completely beside yourself with the thought of a man, let alone an Alpha touching you during such a vulnerable moment for you. But that was not the case.

You were not ready to be a mother, but you supposed that all the drugs had to have some kind of effect on your body. And while you thought they were vitamins and just something to not make you go crazy, you never really thought that going off of them would cause such an instant reaction from your body.   
It craved Steve, and that was the most troubling thing. It wasn’t that you just wanted somebody’s knot, not at all. This need ran much deeper, and it was solely focused on the Alpha in front of you. 

Without you knowing it, you took a couple of steps closer to him, and only stopped when you heard the threatening growl escaping his lips.   
He shook his head, obviously trying to clear his mind from the fog that was threatening to sit on his brain, and he looked between you and the door, making a sudden decision.   
Steve would love nothing more than to take you then and there. You smelled so deliciously, his mouth watered just thinking about all the things he wanted to do to you.   
But he knew one thing: you didn’t want this. Not really. Your body craved him, sure, and he was sure that if he asked you to fuck him in front of a stadium full of people, you would happily do it when your heat actually hit. 

He couldn’t bring himself to do it to you. He promised that he’d wait until you wanted him, and he intended to keep that promise. No matter how difficult the task would prove itself.   
Steve ran out of the room, leaving you behind confused and angry, without a doubt. But there was something he needed to do first before he started to take care of you.   
He ran into his own room and rummaged through the bedside table, where he knew he hid something exactly for a case like this. 

_Suppressants._

It was more usual for Omegas to take such pills because Alphas didn’t feel the need to cover their nature. But this was more than that. He knew that because you smelled so good to him and that you were most definitely his true mate, your hat would trigger his rut, and it would be the beginning of an end.   
And he wanted to avoid that with any means possible. And so taking a pill or two seemed like a small price to pay for the safety and trust of his Omega. He could wait. Sex was important to him, but not as important as the person whom he wanted to have the sex with. 

So he didn’t waste any more time before he popped the pills in, and ran back inside your room, trusting himself much more.   
He knew it would have to take more than just some damn pills, because no matter what your scent was enticing and he wanted nothing more than to bury his head between your legs. But he’s gained enough self-control to fight all of that, and with the help of the pills, the task could be at least a little easier.

He made another stop on the way, the cabinet by the door in which he hid some of his valuables.   
Pulling out a box, he looked at it and smiled because he knew that the two of you could make this. You two and the little help that lied in the box.   
—-

When Steve walked into the room, he was welcomed by a sight that made him growl once again, and he momentarily doubted his own control.   
Because seeing you, naked on the bed with your hair splayed around you while your legs were bent in the knees and spread wide open was something like heaven to Steve’s eyes. And when he took a ragged breath in, he realised that your scent was even more inviting than he remembered it being.   
He closed his eyes and counted to three, telling himself that nothing good would happen if he just caved and took you like this.   
Hearing the desperate mewls leaving your lips and he set his mind on merely one goal: make sure you don’t suffer too much, but not take you entirely and most definitely, not claim you. Because he could imagine you maybe would be willing to forgive him if he knotted you a few times (although he wanted to avoid for as long as he could), but there was no way in hell you could look him in the eyes if he claimed you. 

And as much as Steve wanted his mark on your neck, he knew that he had to wait. Your safety was more important than Steve’s primal need to mark his territory.   
He walked further inside the room, and the movement caught your attention because you raised your head and looked at Steve through heavily lids and eyes full of lust and need.

  
“Steve… Alpha, I need you,” you moaned, and Steve hissed as he felt his already hard cock pressing against the stiff material of his jeans. This would take more out of him than he previously thought. 

“I’m here now, Omega, don’t worry,” he said in a hushed tone, as he kneeled on the bed beside you.   
Your body instinctively sought out contact between the two of you, and so you suddenly pressed your bare chest against his leg.   
Steve cleared his throat and looked everywhere else but on you. It was enough he had to smell the arousal on you, let alone see it for himself. He knew it would be his death.   
He made a quick work of the box in his hand, taking out what looked like a weirdly shaped dildo. Even though your mind wasn’t working properly, you looked between the thing and Steve in confusion, not really sure why he’d need such a thing. 

Steve, however, didn’t explain anything.   
He took a deep breath in and willed himself to check if you were wet enough to stick the toy right in, and when he saw that even your thighs were glistening with arousal, he knew he didn’t have to prep you and that the whole ordeal would be much more pleasurable for you.   
Although he knew that it would be nothing like the real thing, when he saw another cramp overtaking your body, and your frail figure swaying with pain on the bed, he knew he had to step in.

He would explain everything once you were back to your normal self, now was no time for talking.   
Steve grabbed you by your shoulder and pushed you further into the mattress. When he was sure you were steady, he gripped your legs and held them spread, and when he was satisfied with the position, he took the purple toy in his right hand and circled your clit with it, making your jump from the sudden touch.   
He could see your pussy pulsing and gripping the invisible cock, and when you screamed from another cramp, he pushed the toy inside you gently.   
A breath hitched in your throat audibly as you probably didn’t expect the intrusion, but from the way, your body moved further into the toy he knew everything was alright for now.   
When he was sure you were fine, he started thrusting the toy in and out of your channel, listening to the obscene noises leaving your perfect pink lips. Steve absentmindedly licked his own and tried to not think about the pressure in his own pants. 

Your movements started to falter, and you were chanting soft Alpha over and over, and Steve knew you were close.   
That’s when he pushed the little button on the nether part of the toy and heard the buzzing side signifying inflation.   
It was a knotting dildo, one specifically made for Omegas in heat, well, more precisely unmated Omegas who needed to feel the inflation of knot inside them.   
It obviously caught you off guard because you struggled against it for a bit, but when your brain registered what it was, you evidently calmed down, and it only took a few more seconds before you were coming on the toy with a shout on your lips. 

Steve watched as your pussy gripped down on the toy, and for a mere second, he imagined his own cock deep inside you, and your velvety walls squeezing the life of him.   
Which was a mistake because combined with your soft moans and the shock of the afterglow of your orgasm, and the heady scent enveloping him in its embrace, it created a mix that was very hard to ignore. And his body had enough of it because Steve suddenly came inside his pants like a man teenager.   
He would have been ashamed, but he couldn’t find it in himself to do so. Because what sane Alpha wouldn’t cream his fucking pants when seeing their Omega in such a state?

—-  
Your mind cleared up a little bit after the first orgasm, and you looked around the room as if trying to remember where you were. But when you looked beside you, you saw Steve sitting on the edge of your bed, his head hanging between his shoulders, and him breathing heavily through his mouth.   
When you took a breath, you suddenly understood why. The whole room smelled like sex, well, more like if you had sex with yourself. You could vaguely remember what happened, the purple silicone toy wedged deep inside you and you coming like a bitch in heat on it. 

You felt slightly ashamed, but when another cramp hit you, all that shame was forgotten.   
You need your Alpha again. 

“Steve, it hurts,” you whispered, trying to stay sane and awake. 

“Again? Doll, you gotta breath through it, c’mon, you can do it,” Steve whispered into your hair, fighting himself from taking you into his arms and soothing you with his touch.   
But you seemed to have read his mind as you propped yourself on your elbows and took hold of his shirt, pulling him down on the bed so that you could lay your head on his chest.   
The steady rhythm of his heart calmed you down a little, and the cramps were nowhere near as painful as before, and you released a relieved breath.

  
“How long will I be like this?” You asked sleepily, and Steve sighed, and without thinking nuzzled the crown of your head. 

“I’m not sure, ‘mega. But we’ll get through it together, I promise,” he whispered, and you melted more into his arms. 

You knew very well that if you weren’t in such state of mind, you would never have laid there with him like that, gripping whichever part of him you could reach and nuzzling your cheek against his tones chest. But maybe it was for the best.

Although you vaguely remembered Steve’s promise that he wouldn’t touch you, it wasn’t important now. You were in so much pain and so desperate that you were sure if he hadn’t touched you, you would have died there, naked in his guest room. 

You could feel he was reserved, and even your tired and horny mind questioned whether it was because he wanted to keep his promise, or because he didn’t want to touch you at all.   
You fell asleep thinking about all the possibilities and hoping that this nightmare would end soon.   
—-

When you wake up after a few hours of much-needed sleep, you felt the need pooling in your lower belly again, and when you looked up, you saw that the hard surface on which you fell asleep was actually Steve. 

Your brain was unavailable again, and so you let your body be guided by your lust.   
Climbing up his body, you straddled him and kiss his cheek, which woke him up with a start.   
His eyes were dark again, and your irrational brain loved that your Alpha was affected by you this much. 

You were suddenly back on your back, not even sure who you got there before Steve’s head appeared above you, his lips pressed tightly together, and he scented you with care.   
He started at your hairline, continued down to your cheek and lower to your jaw and finally to your neck, where he stopped and let his cheek burrow against the heated skin, trying to memorise you as best as he could. 

Steve was aware of what was happening, and he knew he wouldn’t take it to the level he so desperately wanted, but a little scenting couldn’t hurt nobody.   
“Take me, Steve, I need your cock,” you huffed and tried to free your hands from his grip, but Steve wouldn’t budge, and there was no real chance that you could ever overpower him.   
Just the thought alone sent sparks to your nether regions, because your Alpha was so strong, and so muscly, that he could take on whoever would try to take you away from him.  
Your hips bucked instinctively trying to find some kind of friction that would elevate the weird pressure on your bundle of nerves.   
Steve understood immediately. 

You felt something press against your channel, and when your foggy brain realised it wasn’t real flesh, once again, you swiftly closed your eyes and growled.   
Steve looked at you with surprised in his eyes, not really knowing what was going on. 

“I need you, not a fucking dildo, Alpha,” you hissed at him, and even in your current state, you could see him fighting himself.   
When he reached a decision, he just nodded and threw away the toy. But while you expected him to take down his pants and shove his thick cock (because you just knew he would be thick and mighty) deep inside you, he just took his finger and without warning pushed them deep inside you. 

You gasped and arched your back, and Steve groaned at the feeling of your squeezing around his fingers. Another image of his cock inside you flooded his mind, but he pushed it away and did what he felt was necessary with his fingers.   
He knew it wasn’t what you expected, but he couldn’t just fuck you. Not like this. This was no consent, and he would hate himself forever if he just caved to his desires. You would have to be ok with the toy and his fingers. 

And even the fingers were much more than he planned on doing.   
Nevertheless, you wanted his flesh, and so you were getting it. Before you could complain, he crooked his fingers, so he was hitting your secret spot after a few thrusts, and the words that were obviously on your tongue suddenly vanished and were replaced by moans and hisses of pleasure.   
He brought you to your peak in no time, and when he felt like you were really getting there, he used his other hand to flick your clit between his fingers, making you moan out his presentation. 

The moan that ripped through your lips was almost animalistic, and Steve loved it that much more. You were shaking from the intensity of it, and even squirted a little bit, something Steve made a mental note of, in case he would be able to touch again in the future.   
Steve knew that he couldn’t lick his fingers because tasting your juices would definitely be his undoing.   
He checked on you again, to see if you were alright before he almost ran into the bathroom to clean himself up. 

When he came back, he found you snuggled against the side where he laid mere minutes ago and smiled softly and the image in front of him.   
Steve knew this would be a couple of difficult days, for the both of you, but hope and prayed to the deities that still hadn’t left the Earth, to stand by you and him.   
He crept out of your room to change out of the messed up pants, and clean himself up a little better before he would enter your room again. He knew it wouldn’t take that long for you to need him again, and he needed to make sure he was as ready for it as possible. 

Also, he needed to go to the kitchen to grab some water and at least some fruits for you to eat, remembering to make you swallow the vitamins the doctor prescribed you. He didn’t need you feeling any sicker than you already had. 

The only thing he worried about was when you’d wake up, and realise what Steve has done to you and your nether regions, without your explicit permission, and after he promised you, loud and clear, that he wouldn’t touch without such consent.   
He was already ashamed but tried not to think about the repercussions awaiting him after your heat was over.


	11. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your heat is done and you and Steve have to deal with the aftermath of it all.

Your mind was in a fog, and you had to blink multiple times to actually see the insides of your new room. The sun was shining through the blinds, your clothes were scattered on the floor, and your sheets were a mess.

Those were all things you noticed immediately, but the most noticeable thing was your body.   
You were sore all over, and when you slid your hand over your stomach downwards, you found yourself sore between the legs, your pussy raw and used.   
Shame filled your veins, and you shuddered, trying to remember what happened.   
There was a sudden urge to check on your neck, to see if Steve marked you or not. Your brain was still very non-functioning, so you had to rely on your other senses.   
You got up from the bed and felt your legs being the weakest they have probably ever been. You had to catch yourself on the table next to the bed, or else you’d fall. Taking a deep breath, you felt a surge of energy course through you as you needed to find out the answer to the most obvious question.

When you finally hobbled to the mirror, you breathed a relieved sigh, when your neck still bare, just the way it was before your heat hit.   
You felt bad for even thinking Steve would do something like that, but one could never know, especially when their brain was playing hide and seek with them.   
You climbed into a shower carefully, wanting to get rid of the sticky feeling all over your body. When the hot stream hit your body, you melted into it and let your body regenerate just like it needed to, while you let your brain take its time in remembering, thinking nothing in particular to give it the time it obviously needed.   
It took you good 20 minutes to get yourself cleaned up and ready to face reality, and it was only when you were all freshened up, and you walked inside the room, that the memories of the previous days finally hit you.

You saw Steve with a knotting toy in his hand, and his frowning face, when he tried hard not to touch you. He did, but only when you begged him to, and even then he only used his fingers on you.   
The image itself sent sparks to your lower belly, but you shook your head and tried to remember what happened next. Steve was a gentleman all the way through your heat, only ever touching you as much as was necessary.

You were glad it was the hormone-induced heat, because you’ve heard these were slightly calmer than those natural ones, and you were sure that if you were to have a natural heat, your body wouldn’t be satisfied with just a toy or fingers.   
It also might have helped that it was just your second heat, your body getting used to the feeling of it before it would send a true heat your way, much stronger and lethal if unattended. But you knew deep in your heart that Steve wouldn’t let you get hurt. He only kept his word of not touching you until you asked him to as much as he could, and you were eternally grateful for it.

Your body remembered the feeling of Steve by your side, and you knew that it was nothing you could easily forget, because he was so warm and soft, and you were sure that he was made for you.   
But you didn’t want to seem like a sap. Hell, you didn’t even know him in the real sense of the word, and you were thinking about sleeping next to him for the rest of your life.   
You scolded yourself for thinking about such stuff and opened your door to find Steve.   
Somehow, you thought he’d be with you when you woke up, and not finding him in your room was quite the surprise for you, but you thought that he must have had enough of your constant whining.

A doubt crept inside you, telling you that Steve never really wanted it, but he was too much of a good man to let you suffer so loudly. And when he saw the first chance to leave, he did. You tried not to give it to these thoughts, but nobody ever deserved your trust, and while you wanted to believe that Steve was doing everything because he wanted to, you somehow couldn’t bring yourself to do it.

You sounded ridiculous even to yourself, but you couldn’t help it. There were a million thoughts running through your head, and they were ranging from being almost tin love with Steve for what he had done for you, to fearing that he was fed up with you, and he’d get rid of you just like they told you in the Circle.   
You had to suppress a shudder as you walked down the hall and reached what Steve told you was his room.   
Taking a deep breath, you knocked twice and waited for a response.   
It only took mere seconds before the door opened fully to reveal half-naked Steve, who obviously also just got out a shower.

“Y/N? You’re up already? How are you feeling?” Steve asked warily, eyeing you up and down, trying to find god knew what.

“I’m okay, thank you. Listen, Steve-“

“Don’t say anything, Y/N. I know I screwed up, but I didn’t know what to do, you know? You were in so much pain, and I just wanted to help you. But I broke the promise I gave you and I would understand if you wanted to leave. I’m not gonna stop you,” he rambled as he walked inside the room, and you followed him on instinct.   
“What are you talking about, Steve?” You asked softly as you sat next to him on his bed, which, by the way, looked incredibly comfortable.   
“I touched you, Y/N. I mean, I didn’t fuck you, or anything like that but still. I couldn’t help it, I tried, really. I even took suppressants so that your heat wouldn’t send me to a rut, but I still-“

“You took suppressants because of me?” Your brows were on your hairline from the shock you were feeling. You’ve never heard of an Alpha taking suppressants, let alone for someone whom they just met.  
“Of course, I was ready for the whole thing, just in case but I never thought it would come so suddenly, and I couldn’t get a better grip on myself. I intended to just let you use the toy, but I had to stay if it got worse, you know? But then… I almost lost control so many times, because your whole body cried for me… It was torture, and I don’t know how to apologise for what I’ve done,” Steve sighed, hiding his face in his hands.

You were silent for a moment, trying to comprehend the whole situation. This Alpha, who looked like he could kill anybody crossing his path and looking at him the wrong way was sitting next to you, the epitome of sadness and regret, and he begged you to forgive him.   
“Steve, look at me please,” you whispered into the silent room, knowing he would hear you.

When his eyes met yours, you leaned in and rested your forehead against his, catching him off guard. He flinched ever so slightly, and only when he realised what was happening did he calm down enough for you to hear his breath regularly coming in and out.

“Thank you for taking care of me. I could never be mad at you for keeping your promise because that’s what you did. I’m not sure what you think happened, but from what I see, it’s obvious that you didn’t take advantage of my state, and you even took suppressants to keep me safe. I’m forever grateful to you, Steve. Nobody has ever treated me with so much respect.   
Everybody has always told me that I’m just a piece of meat, just a set of holes for Alphas to stick their knot in. But what you did? You proved to me that I’m a human being first and foremost to you, and your behaviour is leaving me speechless.

I’m not gonna lie, I kinda thought I’d find a mark on my neck after all those days, but knowing that you were in such control that you could resist the need. If, of course, it wasn’t because I’m disgusting to you,” you murmured the last part and Steve took a ragged breath in.

“Disgusting? I creamed my pants on more than one occasion from how much I wanted you. I still do, but I’m not gonna take you without your loud and clear consent, which you weren’t able to give me during your heat. I want you, Y/N, I do. But I want you when your brain isn’t a mush,” he chuckled, and you joined him.   
Steve leaned into you again, this time letting the tip of his nose trace your hairline, breathing you in and shuddering from the intensity of the feeling in the pit of his stomach.   
You let him scent you as much as he wanted because you felt like you both needed it. To root you both in reality that neither of you was going anywhere, that you were there for each other.

Steve’s nose stopped on your jugular, and then you felt something wet on your neck before you realised Steve had kissed you there. Just a small kiss, nothing more than a touch of his moist lips against your parched skin, but it sent shivers down your spine.   
He pulled away with some difficulty, watching you with his pupils blown, and you blushed from the intensity of his look.

“Never doubt that I want you, Y/N. You are my Omega, and I will always want you, for as long as I breathe, I promise,” he whispered, and you let yourself get lost in the blue ocean that was his eyes.

“Thank you, Alpha,” you smiled when you saw that the name got his attention more than anything else.   
“I just need to start to learn how to trust people, that’s all. But we’re off a great start,” you chuckled, and Steve smiled down at you.   
A rock fell from his heart when he saw that you didn’t hate him. He knew that a lot of his fears were unsupported, but still. He didn’t want to do anything that would drive you away, especially not taking so precious from you without you being able to enjoy it fully.   
He knew you were a strong Omega, from how well you were able to take the heat, and how quickly you recovered, and the Alpha in him wanted to breed you so hard, seeing what an amazing Omega he landed.

But he knew that if he started talking about pups so early on, you’d run faster than ever before. It was not the right time now. And although Steve felt the need to breed for quite some time, he knew that scaring you wouldn’t be the best way around it.

“So, hungry for something? How is your stomach?” Steve asked protectively, and you thought for a second before you answered him, assessing your own body to know if you felt any sickness at all.

“I’m good, I think. I could stomach something little, I guess,” you gave him a cheeky smile which he reciprocated and stood up, extending his hand for you to hold it and he led the two of you out of his room.   
—-

You were able to eat a whole apple and a cookie, not really sure if your stomach could take any more, even though your eyes were enamoured with the sweets on the table.   
It was a calm moment between the two of you, and you couldn’t help yourself but imagine what the future held. You could see you two having a breakfast like that every morning, just happy to be alive and well, and together.

Steve, however, disturbed the silence when his phone buzzed.   
His brows furrowed, and he bit the inside of his cheek, looking up at you through his insanely long lashes.

“Would you mind if my friends and their Omegas came? They are the ones that were with me in the Circle, so you might actually know their mates,” Steve shared, and you nodded, not really seeing a reason why you shouldn’t meet those girls.

“Sure, why not,” you shrugged and smiled back at Steve, reassuring him that you ere indeed ok with the people coming. It made you blush slightly that Steve even asked for your opinion, and looked genuinely interested in it, as if you told that you didn’t want to see them, he’d just tell them not to come.  
Which was funny, because from what you’ve gathered, those were some of his closest people, and this used to and to a certain extent still was their home, while you were a new-comer.

“Alright, they’ll be here in a few. The boys and I need to take care of some business, but if you want me to stay-“  
“Steve,” you shushed him immediately, “I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl, and although I’m still not sure how many things work here in this world, that doesn’t mean you have to be by my side 24/7. Besides, I won’t be alone if they bring their Omegas, right?”

The Alpha outstretched his hand and caressed yours on the table, successfully making you blush once again.   
You thought it couldn’t have been healthy for one mere human to blush as much as you did from such simple things as your skins touching.

“I know, it’s maybe that I don’t want to be away from you just yet, and I’m trying to see if you are the same,” Steve smiled almost shyly, and you saw the sweet side of him once again, the one you admired more than anything else.

“I do, but we can’t be joined at the hip forever. You’ll have a business to attend to and me…” you drifted off because you suddenly realised you weren’t really sure what your role would be in the future.

Would you be a bed-buddy? A housewife? Would you have a regular job, if there was such a thing there? Your mind filled with uncertainty and numerous questions, and they were only quieted when Steve reached under your chin with his index finger, to make you look at him.

“You’ll be what you’ll want to be, Y/N. For now, you’ll be a discoverer, trying to learn what you like and what you would like to do in the future. I bet we can figure something out,” Steve’s finger lingered on your skin, and he let himself enjoy the moment more when his finger traced the line of your jaw all the way to your ear and back to your chin.   
The motion, alongside his answer, calmed your nerves and made you feel in control once again.

You’ve been given more freedom in the last few days with Steve than ever before in your whole life, and the thought alone brought tears to your eyes.   
Before you could change your mind, you leaned in and kissed Steve. He obviously didn’t expect because he just sat there, eyes wide opened, staring into your teary ones.   
However, when he realised that this wasn’t one of his dreams, but a reality, he took your face in his palms and relaxed into the kiss, still letting you lead and pull away any time you wanted.

Neither of you deepened the kiss, and you were comfortable with just sharing little intimacy together.   
It was the sound of the front door that made you pull away, and made you blush again.   
You really needed to work on your own face, because this was just getting ridiculous.   
Steve smiled and coughed trying to hide his laughter from you, but failed horribly.

“Anybody home?” A deep voice called and was followed by a tall man with dark hair coming into the dining room. You looked up and immediately assessed that he was almost as handsome as Steve.   
When you looked over his shoulder, you saw a small woman with raven hair, and when she looked up, you almost squealed.   
She noticed you as soon as you did, and her eyes lit up, and she untangled her hand from the man’s, evidently her Alpha’s, and ran to you in full speed.

“Meera,” you screeched as you two ran into each other in full force, hugging and letting the tears that were just a moment ago threatening to escape, to run fully.   
“Y/N! What a coincidence, but my god am I happy. And look, it’s Tina here as well,” Meera smiled, and when you looked over her shoulder, you saw the bright green eyes you’ve grown to love in the Circle.

Tina was now crying as well as she ran to you two, and you were locked in each other seconds later.   
Steve, Sam and Bucky were just watching you three with utter surprise, glancing between you and the other two men in the room and trying to find the answers.   
It was Sam who broke the silence.

“So, I assume you three know each other?” He asked cheekily, and Tina turned around to give him a teary smile before she turned back around.   
“Yup, we’ve been pretty close back there. These two and Sophia and Jackson were my rocks,” she quipped, and you had to smile again.   
Unbelievable, just… insane. This had to be one of the best days of your life.

You turned to see Steve’s expression, and more than anything, he looked relieved. Relieved that you were happy there, now more than before when you had your friends there before. And he was hopeful as well. Hopeful that you’d be happy like this more often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've finally caught up to date with my posting on Tumblr, so you can expect an update every Saturday from now on :) Thank you for reading!


	12. Girls' Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Steve and the boys discuss their “business”, it’s time for you, Meera and Tina to talk about everything that has happened since you all left the Circle.

You were still in tight embrace with the two other women, tears slowly drying on your cheeks and leaving behind the salty trail, when you felt a hand on your shoulder.   
It somewhat startled you, because you were so in the moment and enjoying the presence of your friends there with you, thanking whoever was listening for the chance for all three of you for a normal life. Or, at least, as normal as life could get in the shitty world.   
Your eyes travelled from the strong hand to the muscly arm all the way to the eyes you’ve grown to look for in the few days you had been in the house. 

_Steve_. 

He looked at you with a small smile that made the skin around his eyes wrinkle ever so little, and you couldn’t help it but let your own arms fall from the girls to face the Alpha fully.  
You weren’t sure if it was just the Omega in you that wanted to be good for her Alpha, or if it was the new feeling of calm that Steve brought to your heart whenever he was close that made you release the girls. And you honestly didn’t care, because once you did turn, Steve’s smile brightened and he carefully pulled you in for a hug.   
Steve was always so careful with you, from the very first moment you landed your eyes on him, and it was a piece of stability you yearned for your whole life. At least, your whole life spent in the Circle. 

His body was so strong, and you always felt so small compared to him, especially like this, with his arms around your waist, holding you tight against his chiselled chest, slowly scenting you to imprint your scent into his brain.   
“I gotta go, Y/N. You sure you’ll be alright?” He whispered into your ear as the tip of his nose brushed against the skin right under your left lobe, making you shiver in result.   
This closeness would have been unfathomable for you a few days ago. .You would have been too afraid of his motives, too scared that he saw you only as a set of holes and nothing else, that your humanity would be as lost as at the Circle. 

But Steve had proved all your fears and anxieties wrong so far. Not only had he brought you to his house which was by far the biggest and safest place you have ever seen but he also proved his words via his actions, when he didn’t cross the line during your heat.   
You were aware that it took a toll on him, you could see it even now, that the fact he had to take suppressants to stay away from you was still weighing on the Alpha within him. But he did it to keep his promise, and you were eternally grateful for that.   
So, it was only reasonable for you to let go of at least some of your inhibitions and let Steve in. When he needed to hold you close, which he obviously needed now, you weren’t the one to deny him the access. Besides, it felt too damn good to be in his arms like this, with his nose pressed against your neck, with his hot breath fanning over you like a warm blanket.

  
“I’ll be fine, Steve, I told you. You do what you gotta do, and the girls and I will catch up in the meantime, alright?” You gave him a sheepish smile, and Steve just chuckled when he looked at you.   
“Alright. We’ll be in the office, that’s the room right adjacent to the bedroom, so if you need anything before we come down, come looking for us there. Here,” Steve said and rummaged in his pockets before he pulled out what looked like an old cellphone. That type that looked a bit like brick and had the smallest screen on the world.   
“It’s not much, I know, but it’s reliable, and it’s programmed so that even if I was calling with somebody else, my phone would pick up your call immediately. I just want to know you’re fine all the time. So if you need me, just press one and hold, ok?”   
You just nodded, looking at the black thing in your hand. You haven’t seen such phone in centuries, it felt, especially because when you were locked up, most phones looked much more like huge screens that could barely fit in people’s hands. 

Steve saw the slight confusion at it and smiled before he kissed the crown of your head.   
“I didn’t have the time to get you an encrypted phone, something like I have, and this is the best way to fend off the IT pirates. There are tons of them around the world, trying to steal information and money from people like me. I promise I’ll get you a better one soon,” Steve sighed and massaged his temples. It was obviously something that bothered him, and you weren’t surprised.   
You reached out for his hand and squeezed it in yours. 

“It’s alright, Steve, I don’t need a fancy phone. As long as I have a way to get in touch with you, that’s all I need. I mean, if I could then put Meera’s and Tina’s number there as well so that we can talk all the time, then it would be perfect,” you smirked, and Steve nodded enthusiastically.   
“Sure, whatever you’ll want, Omega- urgh, I mean, Y/N. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ Steve stammered, and you thought for a second, how a person who could crush your skull between his fingers could be so shy and cute at the same time. 

“It’s fine, Alpha. Stop worrying about me so much. I might be a little afraid of some things still, and I might not know what is going on in the world right now, but I’m not made of paper. I won’t fly away when you say the wrong thing. And calling me Omega isn’t a wrong thing, just so you know. I might still have some reservations when it comes to the title, but I’m slowly getting over it. Now go and stop fussing around here, I’ll be fine,” you chuckled as you let go of his hand and hurried him out of the room with your hands.   
What you didn’t realise was that Meera and Tina were both watching yours and Steve’s interaction with wide eyes, even though they also said small goodbyes to their Alphas.   
When you were alone, you turned around to them once again, and confusedly looked between the two of them with raised brows.   
“What?” You asked incredulously, and they looked between each other before Meera finally spoke up. 

“What was that?” They asked in unison, and you chuckled nervously, not really getting what they were pointing out.   
“What was what? You two are freaking me out a little,” you admitted, and they both just shrugged and waved their hands as if to tell you to forget they even asked before they sat down on the nearest couch. 

“I’m so happy you girls are here, it’s like the universe is giving up a treat after all the time it treated us like pieces of crap,” Tina sighed, and you and Meera could just nod.   
“It feels like that, doesn’t it? I still can’t believe it sometimes, you know? That we’re really not back there. I’m afraid that when I open my eyes, I will be back in the little cell and somebody would be knocking on my door with a baton for me to wake up because the breakfast was there,” you mused out loud, and both girls just hummed in agreement.   
“Exactly, like yesterday my nightmares were so bad, Sam had to hold my hands from trashing too much and from hurting myself in the process. He was real shaken by it too,” Tina gave you a tight smile, obviously still not over the night episode. 

“I hadn’t had the time to have nightmares, not really with all that’s been happening in the past few days, I was glad I didn’t lose myself completely. I mean, with the frail system and then my heat coming along-“   
“You too? Gosh, it was crazy, wasn’t it? I thought my body was literally on fire for a second there before Bucky helped me get through it,” Meera jumped in, and you just nodded.   
It was only then that you realised there was a substantial difference between the three of you. Both Meera and Tina were sporting a crescent-shaped scar on their necks, still pinkish and not fully healed, but definitely a few days old.   
There was a pang of something in your stomach, and you couldn’t really discern what it was. But the more you thought about, the more you realised that the Omega in your was jealous. 

You were glad and thankful that Steve didn’t mark you just like that, you truly were, but seeing your friends with the small scars, the simple statement that they were taken was doing things to the inner Omega hiding within you.   
Trying to clear your mind from these things, you concentrated on what your friends were saying, but there was still a small part that was sad that you were so afraid of everything around you because you were sure if you weren’t, you could also have a testament of your Alpha on your now.   
But you would get there, eventually, that much was clear to you now.

“So, how was it for you, Y/N?” Meera asked suddenly, and you willed your mind to let go of the heavy thoughts because they weren’t helping anybody.   
“It was insane! Totally crazy! There were moments I didn’t even recognise myself, that’s how much I wanted something I thought I’d never want,” you admitted, and the girls laughed with you, telling you that they felt exactly the same. 

At that moment, they both obviously noticed the missing mark on your neck, and their eyes full of questions flickered between your bare skin and your eyes.   
“Yeah, Steve promised me not to touch me before I begged him to, pretty much, and he didn’t want to break his words because I was clearly out of my mind. So, he stayed away as much as he could, so that I could then give him a real consent,” you quipped, and Meera and Tina gaped at you like you fell from the sky.   
“Wow! I’ve never heard of an Alpha doing such a thing, but good for you, Y/N. That’s amazing. I mean, it does feel good to be bonded and to belong like this to somebody, but I wasn’t in the Circle for as long as you have, so I totally get why you have your inhibitions. But tell me, how does he make you feel?  
Because the second Sam touched me, I melted, like, literally melted. He is the most considerate person I’ve ever met, always making sure I have everything I could possibly need,” Tina blushed, and you and Meera just chuckled at that. 

But you both felt the same way, and you all shared the little experience you had over the past days with your Alphas, and you soon realised that they were all outstanding men, treating you all so good neither of you could imagine life without them in it.   
Which was a lot, considering you spent your lives, or at least considerable portions of it locked behind bars, unable to trust anybody, and then these three men swept you off your feet, and you were all more than ready to trust them fully. More so Meera and Tina, but you were getting there. 

You almost jumped out of your skin when the brick you were still clutching tightly in your hand buzzed, all of a sudden.   
Looking down at it, you saw there was a message on it, and fear crept into your stomach. You carefully opened it, and immediately sighed out a relieved sigh.   
_S: Everything alright? Just checking in, I’m sorry. - Steve_

You chuckled into the little black phone, and shoot him a quick message (well, as quick as you figuring out how to type on it and how to send the actual message, which you weren’t sure you did, but sure, quick) saying you were alright, and that he should stop worrying so much.   
“Aww, what is it? Is your Alpha worried about you?” Meera teased, and you just rolled your eyes at her, but deep down blushed at the mere thought of him taking care of business, only to shoot you a message, just to stay safe. He was like a mother-hen, but you couldn’t help and feel even more attracted to him.   
—-

Steve grinned at his phone, reading the message you sent him. He couldn’t help himself and just needed to make sure that you were feeling good downstairs while he was not only catching up with the boys but while they tackled some issues as well.   
“You got it bad, you know that, punk?” Bucky chuckled, and Sam joined him as they both eyed Steve and his rosy cheeks.  
“Oh, shut up, you two. You got it just as bad as I do, the only difference is that you’re bonded while we aren’t,” Steve pointed out, and Bucky raised an eyebrow at him.   
“Yeah, and why is that? What were you afraid, Stevie?” 

“I couldn’t betray her trust. I gave her a promise, and I had to keep it, man. And while yes, I would love nothing more than to sink my teeth in her pretty neck, I’ll do it only when she asks me to, and not when she is under the influence of her heat,” Steve sighed and pulled out a folder, signalling that the conversation was over.   
“Did your Omegas tell you something about the Circle?” Steve asked as he went through all the information he gathered from you, as well as the information he had had before he went down there himself. 

Both Sam and Bucky growled in agreement, obviously as disturbed by what their mates had told them as Steve.   
He couldn’t let it go, not when so many innocent lives were obviously at stake.   
“Alright, I’ve tried to look into it whenever I was free, and we obviously need to more dirty work on it, but while there is numerous information out in the open and easy to access, there are some that I couldn’t trace just yet. 

Like what kind of monster owns the place? I mean, Fury is the director, we all know that, but he’s just somebody’s puppet. There is something bigger going on, and from Y/N and what she had told me, the Circle doesn’t give a shit who the buyer is, as long as they are willing to pay a high-enough price.   
And while I understand why such an institution must exist in this world which would swallow Omegas and spit them in pieces, this isn’t the way around it. So, we need to find out as much as we can about it, and, preferably, take it down,” Steve mused darkly, and both of his friends sitting across from him nodded. 

“Alright, that’s settled. Now let’s quickly talk our other business so that we can get to our Omegas. How are all our sites and places holding up? Everything good?” Steve asked, and Bucky and Sam started to give him intel on their actual work.   
Steve listened and was pleased that despite their lack of communication in the last couple of days, everything was going smoothly, people were working as they should, and nothing was collapsing. That’s exactly what Steve wanted to hear. 

It was evident that they all hurried through the information just so they could rush downstairs and meet with their mates. They might have been big bad Alphas, but they were all putty in the hands of their Omegas.


	13. Uninvited Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bond between you and Steve grows, and you feel good until you don’t. And that is only because one person from Steve’s past decides to visit the two of you.

The evening was spent pleasantly, all of you talking and generally having a good time. It was such a long time since you could have an open conversation without a looming presence over your shoulder or the constant feeling that you were being watched.   
And it was weird in this sense as well. While you tried to be as relaxed as possible, the sheer fact that you had been locked inside one place for so long was now getting to you, more so when you saw how free Steve, Bucky, and Sam were. 

Meera and Tina looked exactly like you. Slightly tense shoulders, eyes looking around the room, trying to see if there was any possible danger for them. The only real difference was that while you were sitting alone, with your hands in your lap, both Meera and Tina were seated on their Alphas, having the kind of security in touch as well.   
You didn’t want to be presumptuous, so you kept your distance from Steve, who didn’t seem that bothered by your sitting situation.   
But the truth was, it was killing him from the inside.   
He was happy for his best friends, truly and utterly, but he was also immensely jealous. He wanted to touch your exposed skin, preferably on your neck where a mark would have been, in the best-case scenario.   
But as of right now, your neck was bare, no trace of any bond between the two of you visible, and Steve felt a pang of regret deep in his stomach over his decision not to claim you during your first heat after so long. 

He tried to rush those thoughts out of his mind, knowing all too well that it was fruitless to this in this way. The past could not be changed, and the trust he built by his actions with you was more than he could ask for.   
And while Sam and Bucky were a little taken back by his determination to keep the promise he gave you, Steve knew it was the right thing to do. Even if it hurt him now, seeing that he didn’t have the solid bond with his Omega.   
However, as the night progressed, Steve could see the tiniest movement coming from his left where you were sitting, and when he glanced at you, he could see you moving inch by inch until your thighs were almost touching. 

Steve smiled lovingly at the insignificant gap between your legs and bridged by shifting ever so slightly. The initial touch made you flinch a little, but when you realised that Steve meant to touch you, you obviously relaxed, even more so than before.   
Steve leaned in and brushed the hair away from your face, and you looked at him with a question mark in your eyes.   
He just shrugged but kept his arm outstretched, only moving it so that he was hugging your shoulders from behind, his arm resting on the back of the couch.   
The little action brought a smile to your lips, and you had to bit the bottom pillow from smiling too much because you were all too aware that your friends were watching your expression like hawks, ready to talk to you about everything that happened or crossed your face. 

So you tried to act as casual as you could, with your Alpha’s arm around you, and you caught yourself enjoying the evening that much more, knowing you were safe in his arms.   
And so the rest of the time before the other two Alphas and their Omegas went back to their own little houses was spent with you pressed against Steve’s side, both of you revelling in the feeling of skin and skin contact.   
—-

You woke up on your own the next morning; not awoken by an alarm ringing through the whole building, not by a pain spreading in your body nor any kinds of nightmares. Your body woke you because you were rested and relaxed.   
What a crazy feeling!  
You looked at the clock on the wall to find out it was well past 10 AM, and you blushed a little, knowing it might have never happened before, like ever, that you woke up this late.   
Running your hands through your hair, trying to tame them a little but failing miserably, you decided to find Steve and see what you’ve missed.   
To your utter surprise, the house is swarming with people you have never seen in your life. From the smell of it, you know most of them are Alphas or Betas, no Omega in the sight (or smell). The uneasy feeling came back to you because this wasn’t how you have imagined it. 

Not that you had anything particular in mind, maybe a quiet breakfast with Steve before the two of you talked about the previous night.   
But by the looks of it, the morning would have been everything but quiet. So you walked to the stairs, letting the inner Omega take over and t’find her Alpha. You had no idea where he could be, so your eyes were no help, and because you were terrible at directions, you couldn’t use that side of your brain either.   
So, you closed your eyes in the hive of people surrounding you and watching you, and let the fresh and fragile bond do its work. 

Your nose shimmied ever so slightly, trying to see whether Steve was anywhere on the first floor. But you could smell nothing but unknown scents, none of which were inviting.   
You shook your head and continued on your search. When you were sure that Steve wasn’t on the floor, you made your way down the stairs and looked around, trying to see if you could catch a glimpse of him.   
But because he was, once again, nowhere to be found, your nose had to be put to work again. You went over each person that was on the floor, trying to find the earthy, musky scent that was so undeniably Steve, but still, nothing. 

Sweat broke on your forehead, and you could feel your hands getting all clammy from the nerves, and you were sure if you didn’t find him in the next few minutes, you would have a full-blown panic attack.   
You were slowly giving up hope, but then somebody opened the door to the backyard, and there it was. Your mouth salivated slightly from the tingle in your nose, and you made your way to the door, almost as if in some trance. 

People around you turned their heads as you walked past them, probably because you were both somebody they have never seen and because you were an Omega in mostly Alpha and Beta place.   
But you paid them no mind. Normally, you would be anxious being around so many strangers, but none of that mattered. All you needed was Steve. 

You all but sprinted out of the door, and your body was hit with the already familiar scent, and you calmed down immediately.   
There he was, in all his morning glory, standing on the porch and talking to a man you’ve never seen before.   
The familiarity which helped you find him obviously helped him as well because as soon as you set foot on the wooden porch, his head snapped in your direction, his pupils dilating at the sight of you. 

A low growl boomed in the little space, and you stopped in your tracks, looking around as if finally woken from the frenzy.   
You weren’t sure who growled, but one look at Steve and you knew it was him. He was eyeing you up and down, and you finally looked down your body, your blood rushing to your face at that very moment.   
As you tried to find your Alpha, you didn’t realise you were still in your PJs, which was not much, one could say. It was just a baggy t-shirt barely covering your ass, with your bare legs on full display. 

You tugged it lower so that you wouldn’t be so uncovered, but the movement only made Steve grow again. At first, you weren’t sure what he was growling at, but when you looked him in the eyes, you could see a mix of protectiveness and anger simmering there like a small but dangerous flame.   
“Out,” Steve hissed at the man next to him, and he just bowed and ran out of the reach of now furious Steve. 

You hunched up under his gaze, and set your eyes on the floor in front of you, trying to will the bubbling anxiety to stand down.   
Steve wouldn’t hurt you, you have nothing to worry about, you told yourself, but still tried to prepare yourself for the worst.  
“Omega, what are you wearing?” Steve whispered when he reached you, and when he touched your cheek, your whole body went rigid.   
It wasn’t that you didn’t want him to touch you, not at all. You just weren’t too sure what his reaction might be, and like the old saying, you prayed for the best but expected the worst. 

“I’m sorry, Alpha. I didn’t realise I was just in my pyjamas. I was looking for you and…” you drifted off, not really sure what your excuse was.   
You were looking for him like a desperate little Omega, and you almost had a meltdown because you couldn’t find him in the full house, so you couldn’t be thinking about your attire?   
Steve didn’t need to hear more. You were looking for him, and that was enough for him.   
“You were afraid, weren’t you? I totally forgot to tell you that the whole squad is coming back today because your heat was over and all that. I’m so sorry, Y/N. And sorry if I scared you now, I couldn’t help myself,” Steve mumbled, and when you looked at him, you could see him blushing.   
He was so damn lovable like this. Sure, the Alpha boss was hot, there was no denying that, but when he was shy and soft with you? Yup, that was the one thing that could make your knees go weak. 

“Couldn’t help yourself why?” You pried and smirked a little when Steve raised a brow at your question, knowing you knew why he growled. But he played along.   
“Well, my Omega was here in just a shirt, looking like a delicious snack with all these people around, I couldn’t help but feel a little protective,” he smiled, and you chuckled under your breath. 

You just hummed, not having an appropriate response for this little revelation. All you could do was to snake your arms around his very tone torso and bury your head in his chest, breathing him in the way you wanted since you woke up.   
Steve was a little taken back by your movement, but he gathered himself pretty fast and hugged you to himself.   
Your soft body fit against his hard one as if you were made just for him, and he nuzzled the crown of your head to prolong the beautiful moment shared between an Alpha and his Omega. And the longer you two stayed that way, the more Steve wished he never had to part from you. Because this? This was pure heaven.   
But everything good must come to an end, and so did that moment. Just when Steve was gathering his courage to grab your face and just smash his lips against yours, there was a loud cough coming from the door. 

The hair on Steve’s neck rose immediately, and he pulled away from you ever so slightly while turning the two of you so that Steve’s body shielded you from the person by the door.   
“What are you doing here?” Steve asked, not doing a great job at hiding the annoyance in his face.   
You lifted your head and peeked around him to see the person, and, to your utter surprise, there was a beautiful woman on the porch, with her light brown hair styled in tight curls, while her red lipstick was shining in the light of the day.   
She was beautiful by every single standard there was for that word. Even her posture was confident but elegant at the same time, her chest on display thanks to the low-cut shirt she was wearing. 

Hell, you couldn’t keep your eyes off her. You tried to secretly glance at Steve to see his expression, but he was turned so that you could only see the line of his jaw. And maybe you were glad for it because you weren’t sure if your fragile bond could watch the Alpha ogle another woman.   
What you didn’t register due to the not-so-nice emotion bubbling inside you, was that the woman standing in front of you was an Alpha.   
But when you finally took in a breath, you realised that her confidence was probably tightly connected to her presentation. It was, after all, a trait of Alphas, to ooze confidence to scare off any potential threats. 

“You wound me, Stevie. Can’t I come and say hello?” The woman drawled, and you had to suppress the urge to growl at her.   
You weren’t sure what it was about her that made you so protective of the bond between you and Steve, but just the mere look at the woman in front of you made your skin crawl.   
Steve could feel your uneasiness, and he brought you closer to him while still keeping the mysterious woman in his sight.   
“I thought we’ve agreed that you wouldn’t come unannounced, Peggy,” Steve sighed dramatically and brought a hand over his face, clearly annoyed by the mere presence of this “Peggy”. 

She finally seemed to notice your body melted in Steve’s and she raised her brow, while her upper lip twitched a little. If you could guess, you would think she was almost snarling at you.   
“Oh, I see you found a hole for your knot. Good for you. Although I’m pretty surprised to see it here with you. Shouldn’t it be locked somewhere?” She smiled mockingly, and although you were a pretty tame person, you were ready to jump at that bitch.   
Steve’s chest rumbled, and a vicious growl left his lips, which obviously surprised that woman because she shuddered involuntarily. 

“I would watch your tongue if you wish to see the light of another day,” Steve snarled, and that Peggy woman took a step back, sensing that provoking the angry Alpha in front of her would really be the last thing she has ever done.   
“Good, well, nice to meet you, Omega, and I’ll be waiting for you in your office,” she winked sultrily at him and strode out of the porch. 

It took both of you a moment before you were able to talk again. When your mind grasped the notion of such a weird Alpha woman being in Steve’s mansion, you pulled away and hugged your body, trying to regain your composure.   
The pleasant moment and morning were gone, and you were left with one too many questions. But you started with the simplest one, or so you thought. 

“Who the hell was that?”


	14. Past in Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy’s presence is hanging over your head like a heavy cloud, and the Omega in you wakes up to life. Steve has to manage to keep you happy while not tearing Peggy to pieces. But she doesn’t give up that easily.

_Who the hell was that?_  
The question was swirling in your mind the whole time as you stared at Steve, who was obviously struggling to find his own tongue. Which just made the situation that much weirder.   
Your head was full of questions and unexpected anxieties because the woman who talked as if you were just a piece of meat obviously had some sort of connection to your Alpha. And while you might not have been mated (yet, your mind screamed at you), there was no way in hell you’d let her walk all over you. 

There was a sudden surge of confidence in your veins, and you felt powerful. Which was a new feeling for you, especially after your experience in the Circle. Every disobedience, every little misstep was punished severely, and because you used to you have your own mind, there were times in the very beginning of your imprisonment that you wished you just died.   
But you survived and finally felt like your word would not be punished, and so you stood your ground.   
You were staring holes in Steve’s head, and you were pretty sure you looked like a very pissed statue. And the longer he stayed quiet, the more you were fuming.   
Meanwhile, Steve’s thoughts were all over the place. He had no idea why Peggy came. Not that he restricted her from coming, or anything like that, but he thought they agreed that they wouldn’t see each other anymore. 

And Steve intended to keep to his word, this time. Because there was finally somebody, Steve actually cared about and wanted in his crazy life. Somebody Steve could imagine a life with.   
Peggy was amazing, but there was no future for Steve with her. So Steve had to make sure she understood or at least remembered their deal because he wasn’t willing to jeopardise the progress he made with you. 

The Alpha in him was both super pissed and giddy. Pissed at Peggy, because, after all, she was an Alpha and she saw her Omega in a vulnerable state. But what was more was that she insulted you. And while she could have been a woman, Steve would have no problem beating the shit out of her if she tried again. One Alpha against another.   
But he was giddy because you were obviously jealous. And Steve saw that as a small victory. Because… you had to care for him at least a little bit to be jealous, right?  
When he turned around, however, all blood drained from his face. You looked like a God of vengeance, and while Steve was glad you wanted to protect your territory, he knew he was in some deep shit. 

“She’s an old friend of mine, Omega. But you have nothing to worry about, I promise,” Steve said softly and took a tentative step towards you, but when he saw you backing away, he halted in his actions.   
“I’ll be the judge of that, thank you very much. So, you wanna tell me she is just a friend? Didn’t look like a friend to me,” you scoffed and eyed the Alpha up and down as if measuring if you could take him down. 

That made the Alpha laugh in the inside because while you were slightly scary, there was no way you could fight him and win. But from the looks of it, it was a serious option in your head.   
“We have a history, that’s true. But we ended it a while ago, and I have no intention of letting her in my life again, especially not intimately or romantically. I went to the Circle because I was ready for a commitment and I was willing to do all the steps to ensure you were safe and mine,” Steve mused and tried to come off as non-threatening. 

You just nodded your head but kept staring at him, as if weighing his reasoning, and deciding whether you wanted to continue with this conversation.   
Steve wished the whole morning would go differently. Seeing you standing on the porch barefoot and only in a shirt with your hair in disarray was sending signals to his lower belly, and he had a hard time fighting the need to take you in his arm and kiss you. 

But he knew that if he did that, he would earn himself a smack across his head and maybe even a knee to his balls. And that was not something he was going to risk.   
When you decided that Steve was a man of his word and that if he told you not to worry, you probably shouldn’t worry, you spoke up again.   
“Fine, but what is she doing here?” I mean, I don’t care and all that, but I’m just curious,” you said and shrugged your shoulders as if trying to show Steve just how indifferent you were to the whole situation. But you knew you both knew you were everything but indifferent. 

“I have no idea, but I’m going to find out. I think it would be best if you dressed up and have some breakfast, and I’ll find out what is happening in the meantime,” Steve suggested, and you raised a brow at him.   
But you knew you couldn’t be a jealous bitch, especially because, technically, he wasn’t your Alpha as there was no mark on your neck, and you had no right to scratch that bitch’s eyes out. As much as you craved just that.   
“Sure, see you around,” you said and scurried away as fast as possible so that Steve wouldn’t stop you and demanded a further conversation. Because you really were in no mood for that.   
—-

Steve watched you marched away and sighed before he made his way out of the backyard and inside the house. You were not consoled as easily as Steve would have hoped, but, at the same time, he wasn’t surprised by your reaction.   
If a handsome young man was coming to the house and insulting Steve while ogling you like you were a piece of candy, Steve would literally lose his shit. So your sour mood was a blessing, really, and Steve was glad you didn’t try to attack Peggy.   
As he made his way up the stairs, he thought about all the possibilities of Peggy’s comeback. There were a few, but he didn’t want to think about any of them, because he didn’t want to presume. 

His relationship with Peggy was now nonexistent and had been for a few months. But before that, they were actually a pretty tight couple. And Steve liked, maybe even loved Peggy back in the day, but the more they clashed their heads in arguments, and the more they both had to go through their ruts with either flashlights mimicking Omega’s pussy, or with actual Omegas, they realised that this wasn’t a way to live. 

Moreover, there were things about Peggy that even Steve didn’t know, and he didn’t like the mystery of it all. For example, Peggy’s job was a mystery to him. Sure, she helped him and the team fight the apocalypse, but she vanished for a few months after that, only to come back without a single explanation on her tongue.   
And the longer it went like this, the more Steve felt the need for an open relationship. That and Steve craved to be a daddy. He wanted to have children so much, and it wasn’t something Peggy could give him. Steve suggested adoption because there were times he couldn’t imagine his life without Peggy in it.   
But she wiped it off the table, telling Steve that she wasn’t meant to be a mother and that he should realise he wouldn’t be a good father. And that broke Steve’s heart forever, and it was the downfall of their relationship. 

They tried to make it work after that, but the cloud was hanging over Steve’s head, and he couldn’t shake it off.   
Peggy did try to come back a few times, but it always ended after a few nights of hot sex.   
Steve just hoped that wasn’t why Peggy came to him now. He had no problem turning her down, but he didn’t even want to deal with such bullshit. Not when he had the perfect woman waiting for him downstairs. The one that was still pissed and Steve wanted to make sure the frown disappeared from her brows.   
When he opened the door to his office, he was welcomed by sight he never thought he’d see again. 

Peggy was dressed in white laced lingerie and was splayed on top of his desk, playing with her nipples through the thin material.   
There would be times when Steve would march towards her and would make her see stars with his dick, but those times were long gone.   
He quickly shut the door in case you wanted to come up and check on him because while there was not a finer in his body that wanted Peggy like this, it would probably be a tricky thing to explain. 

“What the fuck are you doing? Get off the table and get dressed, Peggy,” Steve gritted through his teeth.   
It was funny because the Alpha in him wanted to rip her hair out for even thinking she had any chance of threatening his Omega’s place.   
Steve might have known Peggy for forever, but you were the most important woman in his life, and he wouldn’t have let that slip away from him just because his ex was horny.   
“Oh, come on, Steve. You can’t be serious that that little midget is doing something for you. I bet you miss my mouth on ya. We both know how much you loved to see my lipstick smeared all over your-“ 

“Shut up, Peggy. I fucking mean it. Get dressed before I throw you out like this. This is not going to happen,” Steve growled, and it was now that Peggy realised Steve wasn’t just messing around. And that enraged her even more.   
“Please, just because she lets you knot her, you gonna forget about all the good time we used to have?” She drawled and jumped off the table to saunter towards him. But as soon as she reached Steve, he took her hands into a tight grip and emitted a threatening growl. 

Safe to say, this Alpha really wasn’t a fan of his Omega being degraded and humiliated by another woman. Especially if he specifically told her no.   
She just rolled her eyes but did what she was asked to and lazily threw on her previous outfit. When she was all decent again, she turned around and ogled Steve, as if waiting for his next move.   
“You have 10 seconds to tell me what you want, and if you try anything like this again, I swear to fucking God, Peggy, it won’t be nice,” Steve hissed, and she just chuckled dryly.   
“You could always be a little protective. Fine, fine, I won’t try anything. I’ll be a good girl. I just came in to tell you that Rumlow and his organisation are, apparently, making some ruckus in some parts of the country, and I thought you’d like to know,” she smirked because she saw she got Steve’s attention.   
“Sit down, and tell me more, but after that, you’re gone,” Steve muttered and made his way towards his table while Peggy took a seat across from him.   
—-

You did exactly as Steve suggested, getting appropriately dressed, realising for the first time the sheer amount of people in the house. You had to ask Steve how many people actually lived in the house. While you thought it was good that there were other people, you also kinda missed the intimacy of the two of you just being alone in that vast mansion.   
But you understood that with the responsibility Steve had (or at least you thought he had because you hadn’t really talked about his job and all that, yet) there had to be a web of people around him, helping him keep the world a safe place. Or at least what was left of it. 

You were suddenly overwhelmed with the thought of your parents. You hadn’t heard from them since they sold you to the Circle 7 years ago, and while there were definitely still some hard feelings, and you held so many grudges, you also wanted to know how they were, and if they were alright.   
Thinking about them, you made your way down the stairs and made yourself some eggs for breakfast, and as you munched on them, you heard that annoying voice you heard earlier in the morning. And you gripped your knife just a tiny bit tighter. 

Fortunately, you didn’t have to face her as she went straight for the door, and you released a breath you didn’t even know you were holding when you finally saw Steve standing in the doorway to the dining room, alone.   
“Glad you’re eating better, Y/N,” Steve started, still obviously unsure of what the vibe was in the room. And you had to chuckle in your mind at that. Good, you thought, at least he knew not to play with you.

“Yup, I’ve been feeling much better. The vitamins are doing some magic in my system, I think,” you said softly, and Steve just hummed in his chest and took a step towards you.   
“Good, glad to hear that, Omega,” he just said and sat down next to you. You were aware that the atmosphere was tense mainly because of your little outburst back on the porch, so you made a gesture and put the eggs on your fork and offered it to him. 

Steve didn’t waste a second as he opened his mouth, and you guided the fork into it and smiled gently as he groaned at the taste of it on his tongue.   
You ate in silence, sharing your plate and enjoying the little moment, going back to the morning when you shared something similar.   
“Look, Y/N, I-“ Steve started, but you silenced him quickly. 

“No, Steve. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been laying into you so much. I didn’t mean to, and I had no right to do that,” you quipped, and Steve took your hand in his.   
“Stop it, Omega. You had every right to be apprehensive, especially after what she said. I’m sorry you had to go through that, and she won’t ever do that again. If she does, I promise I’ll put her in line,” Steve threatened, and you squeezed his hand on the table. 

“Thank you, Alpha. It just… felt a little weird. I’m not used to feelings like these, so I might have overreacted a little,” you smirked, and Steve just chuckled as he brought your hand to his mouth and kissed it tenderly.   
He thought if he should tell you about the thing happening upstairs, but then dismissed it because you didn’t need to worry about what was already taken care of. Because there was no way in hell, Peggy would try something like that again.


	15. Time Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is happy to see you're feeling better and takes you to see the city.

Steve woke up with a pang in his chest. At first, he wasn’t even sure why his heart felt this way, or what it was telling him. He tried to analyse the feeling, but it was as if something throbbed from pain within him. It was a feeling he’d never had, and one he hoped to not have again in the future.   
So, he got up and tried to get ready for the day, but the throbbing was still there, no matter how much he tried to shake it off. It even got to a point where he pretty much sprinted towards the gym within the house for a quick workout.   
His body was trying to sweat off the feeling, but nothing seemed to have been working. And Steve spent nearly an hour and a half in there! He had almost given up when he suddenly felt the feeling simmering down to an almost unnoticeable beat. 

He sighed a relieved sigh, but when the hair on his neck stood up, he knew he wasn’t alone in the room. And because he didn’t feel the need to protect himself and his body saturated towards the person standing behind him, he knew exactly who it was.   
And it was confirmed the second Steve inhaled because the scent was something he could never not-know nor did he ever wanted to go a day without it.   
“Y/N,” he breathed out as he slowly turned around. And there you were, clothed in some shorts and a baggy t-shirt. But since Steve knew all too well what you were hiding behind all those clothes, it didn’t stop him from imagining your naked body on his bed. Still, he was glad you were wearing something more than the morning before because it took almost everything out of him not to go and kill all his men for seeing you dressed in just a shirt. 

“Steve, hey,” you whispered, keeping your eyes trained on him, and he could see as they trailed down his naked torso and towards the band of his shorts. You bit your lips ever so slightly, and Steve wanted nothing more than to take you into his arms and kiss you breathless.   
But then a realisation hit him. Did the throbbing stop because you walked inside the room? Was his body telling him something?  
“What are you doing up so early, Y/N?” He asked as a way of distracting himself from the questions and images swirling in his head.   
“I don’t know, I couldn’t sleep too well, to be honest. There was a weird feeling in my chest, but it’s all good now. You look like you have been really going at it,” you smirked, motioning towards the punching bags almost ripped in half in the far corner of the room. 

Steve chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.   
“Yeah, I didn’t feel the best either so I thought I’d deal with it my way,” Steve shrugged and tried to look as innocent as he could, but you were obviously not buying it.   
You just hummed and looked around the room, as if realising for the first time where you were.   
“So, you come here to train? Your personal gym or something like that?” You asked, and your mind went to the little yoga mat you had in your cell back in the Circle. Not that you missed the place, but you had a routine, and you kinda missed the yoga part of it.   
“Nah, everybody’s got access here. We all like to stay in shape, so we come down here to blow off some steam if we need it,” Steve smiled and put on the shirt laying abandoned on the floor. 

“That means I could come as well?” You almost whispered, not really sure if you could make demands, or how this whole dynamics between you and Steve worked. You didn’t have the bond to rely on, and so you had to make sure everything was ok with him verbally.   
“Of course, sure! But, if I could make a suggestion, I would start with something a little easier than lifting weights and stuff like that,” Steve chuckled, and you joined him. The feeling of trepidation left you completely, and now you were just relaxed and content, for the first time since last night.   
“Yeah, I just thought I’d pick up yoga again. I really liked doing it in the Circle, and thought it would be a good way to start with stretching and some inner strength,” you smiled at the Alpha in front of you, and he hummed as he came closer to you, imagining your ass in tight yoga pants. 

You didn’t complain about him coming close especially because when he was this sweaty, his musk was extremely strong and your body saturated towards him as if he was the sun and you were drawn to him despite your rational brain.   
You actually had to stop your hand from gathering in the cotton of his shirt when he stepped in your personal space. 

Steve looked you deep in the eyes and smiled down at you, and your inner Omega almost fainted. How was it possible that somebody so perfect in every sense of the word was standing in front of you, bare and vulnerable, waiting for your reaction. You have never met a man like Steve Rogers, and you thanked your lucky star, probably for the first time ever.   
Because maybe, despite all the pain you had to go through, he was your silver lining. Maybe you had to undergo what you did to be able to appreciate the kindness and protection Steve offered so selflessly, not expecting anything in return. 

Without overthinking, you stood on your tiptoes and brought him down by the nape of his neck, your mouths meeting in a sweet kiss. Steve’s arms circled around your waist as he brought you even closer, and your chest got pressed against his sweaty one.   
You giggled against his lips, and Steve followed suit. From the outside, you must have looked like a comical duo- you on your tiptoes, your foreheads pressed against each other while the two of you were giggling like a bunch of teenagers.   
But the outside world as if didn’t exist…. It was just you and Steve and the butterflies swirling in your stomach, making you hopeful for the future. Which was another first in a very long time. And all that thanks to the Alpha clutching you in his arms.   
—-

As the day went on, you realised one simple thing. Whenever you were close to Steve, which meant even in the next room, you were pretty fine feeling-wise. But the second he went outside on the porch and you stayed in the kitchen, for example, the tremble reappeared.   
You tried to push it out of the way, but you couldn’t. It was encompassing, and you realised that the longer you went without Steve, the worse it had become. So, as quietly as you could, you tried to stay by his side and watch for your body’s reaction. And you had never felt stronger serendipity than when you were sitting by Steve, his hand carelessly thrown around your shoulders as he explained something to Bucky.   
You actually even caught yourself nuzzling in his chest, trying to get as close to his body heat as possible, and you scolded the inner slut in you who was imagining the two of you snuggled in a very different situation. 

But it wasn’t your fault! How could you not imagine that when he was so damn hot! Ugh, it was actually frustrating at times because he genuinely looked like either a model or a God.   
And whenever he caught you trying to get closer to him, he obviously smirked and kissed the crown of your head victoriously.   
You knew he felt the pull as much as you did. At first, you thought it was an Omega thing, but when you were cooking, and Steve came in running like a wild man, only for him to stand behind you and bury his face in your neck, inhaling deeply while his heart stopped hammering like crazy, you realised it was taking a toll on him as well. 

And you suddenly weren’t so sure if waiting past your heat with the bonding and knotting was such a great idea. Still, you were glad you were able to get to know each other “neutrally”. Because you were sure that the second you two melted against each other, there would be very little talking, and even less getting to know each other on an emotional level. On a physical level? That was a completely different thing.  
It was in his office that he leaned into you, and while playing with your hair, asked you a simple question. 

“Would you like to go out with me? To see the city, see what the real world looks like out there. I have some business to attend to, and I thought you might like the change of the environment for a while,” Steve whispered into your ear, and you shivered when the hot air hit your skin.   
You were unable to talk, too afraid of what kind of sound might actually leave your lips, so you just nodded and kept breathing through your nose. You knew your mouth was a traitor and so opening it would lead to either you moaning or whining or a combination of the two while also begging him to do something with the constant need in the pit of your stomach.   
Instead, Steve made you stand up and hurried you to your room to get changed before you hit the road. But he stopped you before you could do just that.

  
“Just so you know, the things you might see might be a little… disturbing, to say the least. I don’t want to scare you, but I think it’s good for you to understand the world as it is. I don’t wanna hide anything from you. But the second you feel it’s all too much, you tell me and we turn around and go back here, ok?” Steve nudged your chin with his middle finger, making you look up.   
“Yeah, I will. But I’m a lot tougher than I look, you know?” Steve just chuckled at that and let you go to get dressed up. 

He knew you were tough as hell, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that, but he also knew what the world looked like out there, and that it even shook him sometimes. And he couldn’t just lock you up in the house. He would be doing exactly what had been done to you in the Circle, and there was no way in hell he was anything like those monsters.   
You had to see the whole truth. Mainly because there were also lovely places preserved in the city. Maybe surrounded by a little havoc, but they were still beautiful. And Steve wanted you to feel free. Free to make your own choice about your future.   
—-

The car ride was filled with anticipation. You knew you shouldn’t be this excited, but just the possibility of seeing the world after so long sounded extremely good for your depraved brain. Steve warned you that there probably wouldn’t be much of human interaction with other people out there, but that didn’t matter to you.   
Just to be able to walk the streets you knew from your childhood, that was enough to make you giddy.   
“Stop bouncing up and down, Y/N. You’re making me nervous,” Steve chuckled as he drove to the city and you just rolled your eyes at him, but looking around like a kid on a Christmas morning. 

It wasn’t the same route you took when Steve first brought you to his house, that much you were sure about. Because while back then you saw mostly nature and a few ruins, now you were driving through the remnants of a city, or some suburbs.   
“This used to be Staten Island. Now, it’s one of the few parts of the city where we still couldn’t reach some kind of a balance” Steve said matter-of-factly, and you gasped. You remembered the place. Not that you had visited too many times, but it looked nothing like you remembered it. The buildings were half torn down, and those that weren’t were covered in moss, or a tree grew in the middle of the building as if it was supposed to be there.

  
People were running all around in torn clothes, but most of them looked harmless. Still, you covered ever so slightly in your seat.   
You weren’t even sure why. You knew that if push came to shovel, Steve would protect you, but you soon realised that that wasn’t your main issue.   
It was that you were in a perfectly clean clothes Steve obtained you, in a shiny black car, looking around from your privileged place, while these people obviously suffered every single day for survival. And you felt guilty. Not that it was your fault you had been pretty much abducted from your home and brought to a facility where they made you an obedient little girl. And it wasn’t your fault that Steve, out of all people, was the one buying you and taking you away from there. 

You shivered, thinking about the possibility of one of the Alphas on the street getting a hold of you. But you knew that it was an irrational thought. These people had enough on their plates as was, there was a very slight chance they would even hurt you. But your privileged brain wouldn’t shut up.   
So, you instinctively leaned into Steve, and he shared a small smile before his eyes refocused on the road ahead of him, and he drove through the city without another word.   
And when you thought that that was it, that was the thing Steve talked about, you reached Brooklyn. You recognised the place just by a glance across the river, where once stood the majestic Brooklyn bridge. Not that it wouldn’t be there anymore, but it definitely wasn’t something you or anybody else would want to use to get to the other parts of the city.   
It looked like a bomb fell in the middle of it, and the once monumental brick arches now looked like something assembled by a few children. 

It was a horrible look, to be honest. Something you considered to be a symbol of the city was suddenly barely even there, and it wouldn’t be there for the next generations of people, and that made you feel sad. More than sad, but you tried to hold it together.   
When the car halted to a stop, you looked at Steve, who just motioned for you to get out of the vehicle. And as soon as you did that, you saw the reality of the world outside your little paradise. 

People weren’t gathering much, everybody was obviously rushing on their own, and everybody looked a little sickly—definitely a change from the people in the Circle and the mansion.   
You could see a lot of areas that were already cleaned out, and that most people were wearing clean clothes, to a certain extent, and you were glad to see that. But still, the amount of ruin in the city was incalculable.   
Steve was by your side in a blink of an eye, and he took your hand in his, walking you to the tall building in front of you.   
“This is one of our companies. They are making sure that the riots aren’t threatening the majority of the people. They’re something like the police in the old days, but better, I’d hope. We’d tried to reconstruct it by actually teaching people to be something between social workers and police-persons so that there wouldn’t be more violence than absolutely necessary. And it has been pretty successful. Apparently, people aren’t afraid to approach these men and women on the streets because they’re no longer afraid to be shot. We’re just trying to create a better environment in this shitty world,” Steve sighed, and you squeezed his hand in understanding. 

You knew it must have been difficult to gain the trust of the people after everything had happened, and you were glad Steve was one of the leading people trying to establish new and better order in the world. Or what was left of it.   
While Steve was in the meeting, you were waiting for him in the adjacent room with one of his men (you were pretty sure his name was Clint, but because he wasn’t the most talkative person, you didn’t want to ask again and bother him) when a small girl rushed in. 

Clint’s first reaction was to stop her, but when he saw she was no threat to neither you nor him, he let her through.   
The girl was no more than 4 years old, and she was the sweetest little thing. She smiled at you and jumped up, so she was sitting on the sofa next to you as if she had done this a million times before.   
And sure enough, after a few moments, her mother rushed in behind her, her eyes landing on the two of you next to each other on the sofa. 

“Malia, you gonna wait for mummy here?” The woman asked, and the little girl, Malia, just nodded, still smiling at you.   
“Alright, mummy will be just a second. Here, you can play with your favourite toy,” the woman said as she handed an old teddybear to the girl who squealed in excitement, taking the bear form her mum and playing with him immediately. 

As her mum walked away, the girl didn’t even spare her a look, and you knew this wasn’t the first time Malia had to be on her own. And you remembered that feeling. Both your parents used to work a lot when you were a child, leaving you alone in the house for hours from a very young age.   
You weren’t spiteful about it, not at all. It was just that you often felt lonely back then. And then again when you were closed in that horrible place that was supposed to be a shelter for Omegas. And you sympathised with the little girl. 

So, there was nothing more logical in your head than to turn in your seat and start playing with her. The little attentions surprised the little sweetheart, but she soon warmed up to you, and you ended up playing with her for the rest of Steve’s meeting.   
And when Steve walked inside the room to fetch you, he found you on the ground giggling with the little girl in front of you, showing you some silly faces which you tried to replicate.

Which only reassured Steve that you’d make a wonderful mother when the time came. Which would hopefully be soon because Steve couldn’t wait to share this experience with you.   
That was after he made sure that Rumlow wasn’t making any more moves since he apparently killed a bunch of people in the west and was now moving back to New York. And then there was the Circle, which was also of the desperate need of Steve’s attention, as were the hundreds of poor Omegas locked behind the door.   
There just wasn’t enough of Steve to take care of everything, since he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.


	16. Actions Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get acquainted with people in the mansion, while also spending some much needed alone-time with Steve And you enjoy it thoroughly.

The next few days were spent by you alone in the house, trying to get the grips of your new life, while Steve was shut behind the wooden door leading to his office, taking care of some important business. And while you wanted to be with him, especially because the throb in your chest became almost insufferable every time you spent time alone, you needed he needed to take care of the business. Without you.   
And so you tried to keep yourself busy enough to forget about the pain caused by the fragile bond between the two of you. Because Steve gave you the green light on every single thing you asked for, it was not difficult to obtain all you needed to plant your own garden in the backyard.   
It was another thing that you missed from the Circle. Gardening was one of your passions, especially since you knew where your food came from and that there weren’t any pesticides used on what you were eating since those were one of the things that led the world to its disarray.   
And now that you were feeling stronger than ever, thanks to the good nutrition and the fresh air you were getting every day, you knew you could start with your own little projects around the house.

Naturally, the garden came first. You tolled for days to prepare the soil to birth some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables you could think of, especially tomatoes and cucumbers, those were some of the best. But your dreams didn’t stop there. You also wanted to plan some melons and pumpkins because now you had all the space in the world to actually plant big things, unlike back in the Circle.  
Next came your yoga space. You were aware that the gym was used by all the people living in the mansion, and while you didn’t have any problem with none of those people, you still appreciated some privacy, especially doing some serious stretching.   
And so you came up with a temporary solution: you put the yoga mat in your room. Steve still wasn’t too happy that you were staying in a separate room since both you and he were suffering from the distance, but you didn’t want to rush things.   
Hence the mat in your room. Steve protested against that as well, telling you that you could just use the gym when nobody was there, but you thought better. You didn’t want to go check if anybody was occupying the gym, and if so either telling them to get lost or come back later yourself. No, this was just the easiest option of them all.   
However, you knew that Steve’s protests came from another place as well. You caught him checking you out multiple times, and it became more and more regular that his eyes would drift to your breasts or your ass.   
You always mockingly scolded him but still felt the need to do so as well when he wasn’t paying attention. Because he was a sight to behold. His body was as if sculpted, and your panties grew damp every time he just simply passed you on the hallway. Let alone when he came closer and nuzzled your shoulder or your neck, seeking the warmth and comfort of your body.

But neither of you did anything other than just the obvious ogling. There were times when you thought Steve would snap and just grab you in his arms and never let go, but the restraint this Alpha had was unbelievable.   
Sure, you were glad for it in the beginning, when you weren’t too sure about his intentions and didn’t know him at all. But since you got to know him and realised he was literally the best man walking on this planet, you kinda wished you had the nerve to take the first step.   
But since he was always shut behind the door of his office, there was very little you would do, especially since you didn’t have any experience with men. Steve was the first man to see you naked, to touch you intimately or even kiss you, and while you had an idea about what was to go down between an Alpha and an Omega, you were still worried that you’d do it wrong.   
Still, when you saw Steve walking past you, giving you one of his dirty looks, it sent shivers down your spine, and you formed a little plan in your mind. You wanted him to take you because there was no denying that the two of you were meant to be.   
—-

“What’s the status on Rumlow?” Steve asked, and all that could be heard in the room was rummaging through papers by his associates.   
“The latest information is that he is still creating havoc in the South, but nothing too crazy. Nothing that the guys down there could handle. I spoke to Vision this morning, and he said that it only took like 4 days to take care of the mess Rumlow made in one of the facilities you own.   
They weren’t able to catch him, so I’m sure we’ll hear about him soon, but for now, he is not an issue,” Bucky reported, and Steve just nodded.   
“Still, tell Vis to send some men looking for that bastard because this time, when we catch him, I’m not letting him go. He’s bad news, and I’m tired of hearing about him creating more problems than necessary. One would think people would try to preserve peace we have after all that had happened, but no. Not people like Rumlow and whoever owns the Circle. Any news about that?”   
“Nothing. We’ve been looking into it over and over again, but still can’t find anything. It’s like it’s led by ghosts, man. The only traces go to Furry, but we know he has a boss. But we’ll keep looking because those bastards need to be punished,” Sam growled and earned approving growls from other men around the table.   
They were all aware that the situation was grave, especially since all of the mated Alphas in the room had to go to the Circle to meet their mate. And they were all too aware of how things worked there.

“Alright, keep looking, and if you find out anything, let me know. Dismissed,” Steve sighed and massaged his temples, trying to get rid of the impending headache. He was tired and stressed out, but more than that he missed his Omega.   
The Alpha in him was growing agitated every second, and when the scent of his Omega evaporated from the room, it became almost unbearable.   
Steve even had to take such measures as blatantly steal one of your shirts to sleep with; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. At first, he was a little ashamed of his actions, but when he found out that he was missing one of his favourite shirts as well, only to find it in the drawer the next evening smelling like you, he knew you were as desperate as he was.   
It was, however, only when he walked by your room one afternoon, that something in him finally changed.   
The sight that welcomed him through the crack in your door was something he pretty much dreamt of for months now.   
You were in a downward-facing dog position, your ass high up in the air facing the door. The leggings you were wearing were hugging your curves perfectly, and the breath hitched in Steve’s throat when he saw you like that.   
There was something animalistic about the position he found you in. It woke up the dormant part of him, the part that he tried to subdue ever since you came into his life because he didn’t want to scare you for life.

But now, it seemed, he no longer had to be afraid of that. He took a cautious step inside, and the cracking of your door gave him away. You looked at him through your parted legs, not changing your position even slightly, and when you saw that it was just Steve, you continued to stretch.   
Steve was a creature of habit, and you learned that very early on. He liked his things in order and his day as organised as possible, so it was fairly easy to learn his movements every day.   
That was why you knew he would be in his room around 5 PM, just before dinner, and that he would walk by your bedroom afterwards. It might have been true that you didn’t have any experience or even a “game”, but you knew you wanted to push him ever so slightly to make the first move.   
“What are you doing, Omega?” Steve asked tightly, and you could hear the strain in his voice which was mirroring the strain in his posture. He was fighting himself not to lay on top of you and pound into you like an animal.   
And the mere thought made you all giddy about the future pounding. That was for sure.   
“Yoga, of course. What does it look like, Alpha?” You added aspiration to his title to entice him even more. And when you felt his big warm hand on the small of your back, you knew you succeeded.   
“I’m begging you, stop, or else I’m not sure I can control myself around you,” Steve gritted through his teeth, not moving an inch from where he was standing.   
Which was directly behind you. This position allowed you to push yourself against him, pressing your ass against his crotch, and that was Steve’s undoing.   
His hands wrapped around your hips and he pulled you upward in one swift motion, not addressing the loud gasp leaving your mouth.   
When you were finally standing, Steve turned you around, and his mouth was on your in a heartbeat.   
Every single kiss till now was very timid, lovely and sweet, and it let you see Steve as this cute man capable of love and patience. But this man kissing you right now, that was somebody quite different.

His mouth hot against yours, and you felt as if you were flying. Your body was light and soft against the hardness of Steve, but you still needed more. The Alpha’s tongue invaded your mouth, not giving you the opportunity to switch or fight for dominance.   
Not, there was only one dominant party at the moment, and that was very clearly Steve. His hands were gripping your soft flesh, eliciting moans from you as he kneaded the pliable skin under his manly fingers, mixing the slight pain with the immense pleasure.   
You tried to get closer to Steve, so you pushed yourself against his chest, gripping the lapels of his shirt in your right hand, while the left was left roaming somewhere between his face and his chest.   
“Omega,” Steve breathed as he momentarily separated from your lips, only to get attached tot he skin right under your ear.   
“Alpha,” you moaned loudly and threw your head back, giving Steve better access to your body. You were willing to give him every last bit of yourself, as long as it felt this great. There was a fire in the pit of your stomach, which grew with each passing second, spreading throughout your extremities and finally reaching its final destination in your core.   
The throb of your bond was long forgotten because as long as you were this close, the bond was singing happily, pouring excitement through your blood.   
Your hand naturally descended towards Steve’s crotch, and you could feel even through the stiff material of his jeans that his member was hard and ready.   
You just got to unbuttoning the pants while Steve’s hands and mouth were latched on your breasts, sucking and nipping at the sensitive flesh you never knew could give you so much pleasure, when a knock sounded from the door.

Steve growled but continued with his attack on your body, and you too would be unaffected by the person on the other side of the door, if the person, Bucky, didn’t speak up.   
“Steve, I’m really sorry to interrupt, but there is somebody to see you, and they say it’s urgent. Apparently, it’s about Rumlow,” Bucky sighed, and Steve growled even louder than before with the difference that this time he actually pushed himself from you.   
When you looked him in the eyes, they were lust blown, and you knew Steve was holding on the last thread of his self-control not to go kill Bucky and then take you the way he’s always wanted.   
But since Bucky sounded so urgent, you knew you couldn’t let him do that, as much as you wished it could happen.   
So, you did the only logical thing which was covering your modesty and stepping even further away from Steve, so that the two of you could calm down properly before facing the real world again.   
Steve understood and buttoned up his pants once again and took a step towards the door, but then thought better and instead took a step towards you.   
You wanted to protest, but his mouth was quicker than yours, and he was kissing you again. This time, however, the kiss was much slower and much more deliberate. He was marking you as his with the kiss, and you gladly let him.   
When he pulled away, he gave your swollen lips one last peck before he stepped towards the door and faced Bucky.   
“This better be worth it, Buck,” Steve sighed and left with the alarmed looking Bucky. You chuckled at his expression, and when you were sure you were alone again, you closed the door silently and jumped on the bed.   
You touched your lips and closed your eyes, thinking back to a few seconds ago, remembering the feeling of Steve’s feverous kisses. You knew it would be something you’d dream about for many nights from now and hopefully something you would experience soon enough. This time, however, you wanted to finish the thing. You wanted, no, needed Steve’s mark on your neck.   
Because by now, you were pretty sure by one simple thing: there was nobody better for you than Steve, and you were falling for him helplessly. And you didn’t mind it at all.


	17. Minor Inconveniece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend some much needed alone time, while Steve deals with some pressing issues, as usual.

When Steve left your room, he was on the verge of killing somebody. He knew that it wasn’t Bucky’s fault, and wasn’t too keen on reprimanding his best friend just because he did his job, especially since Bucky couldn’t have any idea of what was going on behind closed doors.   
But still, Steve felt like he was robbed. He was finally spending time with you in his arms, and he could almost feel all the things he wanted to do to and with you happening until they were snatched away once again.   
Bucky was more silent than usual, probably knowing all too well that this wasn’t the best time to start a conversation with Steve. He was only slightly worried about the person in Steve’s office because they were the real reason Steve couldn’t spend the much needed time with his Omega.   
Honestly, though, he wasn’t too worried because the second he saw that person, he knew they came to brew some trouble. But since Steve was the Alpha of the pack, Bucky had no right to distinguish between what was important and what wasn’t. So he let them in and prayed that Steve wouldn’t kill them.   
“Who is in there, Buck?” Steve asked as they walked down the hallway, and Bucky could still feel the tense atmosphere in the air. It was better to just rip off the band-aid and let Steve deal with it as he deemed fit.   
“It’s Peggy, Steve. She said it couldn’t wait, and although I tried to probe for some information so that I could say if it was really that urgent, she wouldn’t tell me shit and just ordered me to go fetch you. I don’t wanna sound like a little bitch, but I really don’t miss that woman,” Bucky muttered under his breath, although he was all too aware that Steve must have heard him.

Steve just hummed but didn’t react in any other way, trying to calm down his nerves. He had the feeling that it might have been Peggy, but he hoped that he was wrong. She had no business in the house anymore, and if there was really something so pressing, she could have used her phone.  
Just thinking about it made Steve’s blood boil. He felt that talking to her once would be enough, but he suddenly got the feeling that he would have to explain everything to her once more (if not more) for her to finally understand she was no longer welcomed in the house. Especially since you seemed so jealous of her the last time, she was around.   
Steve took a deep breath before coming into the room where Peggy was already seated and waiting.   
“Peggy,” Steve nodded as he rounded the table and sat at his chair.   
She winked at him sultrily, but the only effect it had on Steve was to groan inwardly in annoyance. He wanted nothing to do with her, and although they might have been a couple in the past, that would forever stay in the past. Steve had a future with you, and he wasn’t willing to risk that for somebody as demanding and egoistic as Peggy.   
“Let’s cut to the chase. Bucky said you had something to tell me, so, speak,” Steve demanded, and Peggy scoffed while crossing her legs, trying to bring Steve’s eyes to her miniskirt and what was beneath. But it was useless because his eyes stayed trained on her face, his eyebrows raised in utter annoyance.   
“You won’t even ask me how I’m doing? Where are your manners, sweetheart?” She drawled, and before she knew it, Steve brought his hand to the table with such force that the wood almost split in half.

“You’re on very thin ice, Peggy. I’d advise you to just tell me about Rumlow or leave. I don’t have time for your bullshit,” Steve growled, and Peggy was obviously taken aback. She remembered the last time in the house very well, but she hoped it was just a lapse in Steve’s judgement, and that when she’d come the second time around, everything would be back to normal.   
Obviously not.   
“What is wrong with you, Stevie? We used to have so much fun! I bet the little bitch will never-“  
She was cut short by the low, threatening growl leaving Steve’s lips. It wasn’t one of those haha-you-should-probably-stop kinds of noises. No, this one was an Alpha protecting his territory against a threat. An Alpha who was willing to take whatever actions necessary to get rid of the enemy. And Peggy suddenly became the enemy in Steve’s eyes, which was something she didn’t count on.   
“One more word disrespecting my Omega, and I will rip your throat out, Margaret. If you came here to talk low about her, you might as well go and never come back,” Steve suggested when he calmed down enough not to see completely scarlet.   
“Fine, fine, whatever,” Peggy gave up and massaged her temples from the stress seeping in her veins.   
“My people saw Rumlow in the city. He hadn’t done that much yet, but they saw him move around the Circle and there might have been some kind of an agreement with Fury, according to my informants. I’m not sure what it was all about, but I thought you’d like to know. He is a dangerous type, Steve, and you should be on the look-out, especially since you two fought the last time you met,” she smirked, and Steve sighed at the memory.   
He wasn’t even surprised that Peggy knew because somehow, she always knew everything that was going on in the world. She was a powerful Alpha, there was no doubt about it, and she had some powerful allies as well. Where she got them somehow escaped Steve, but since she never told him when they were a couple, he knew there was no chance of her telling him now.

“Alright, good to know. Anything else?” Steve asked, and Peggy shrunk even more in her seat.   
“No, isn’t it enough? You told me to tell you if I knew about something, so that’s what I’m doing. Don’t be ungrateful, Stevie,” Peggy hissed at him, and he abruptly stood up to tower over her.   
“You could have easily called me, Peggy, and you know it. You came in to see the situation between me and my Omega, and to check the terrain. I’m glad you told me, and I’m thankful, but this is the last time you came unannounced here, understood?” Steve smiled mockingly down at her and left without saying another word.   
Steve just nodded at Bucky and briefly told him to escort Peggy out of the house and rushed to his room, kind of hoping you would still be there when he came back.   
Unfortunately, he found the room empty, your scent faint but still there enough for Steve’s mouth to salivate. He was even more pissed than before since the new could have easily been exchanged via message, and he could have been mating with you in the meantime. But faith had obviously slightly different plans for you and Steve.   
—-

When Steve left the room, it took you a good 5 minutes to be able to move properly again. You now knew what you wanted and craved even if some minor inconvenience stepped between the two of you.   
At the same time, you thought it might have been for the best. You wanted to do something for Steve, something so that he didn’t feel like you were a nuisance to him.   
So you made up your mind and hurried out of the room and down the stairs, looking for the cottage in the backyard that you knew belonged to Meera.   
Since it was Bucky who interrupted Steve and you, you knew Meera would be alone, and that was precisely what you needed. Sure, you would be glad if Tina were there as well, but nobody else. You were too ashamed to talk about all of it with anybody else.   
You knocked three times and waited a while before the door opened and revealed a happy looking Meera. Her hair flowed around her with the soft breeze, and her eyes were sparkling in joy. You were sure you had never seen a happier person in your life and was aware that it was most probably caused by both the environment she was in and her mate. And you were glad for her. Glad that she finally found what she deserved.   
“Y/N! What are you doing here?” She smiled brightly and enveloped you in a hug.   
“Meera! I came to talk to you about something. I need your help,” you smiled shyly, and she chuckled, letting you inside the hut.   
Hut was probably the understatement of the year because the place was big and filled with light, and there was joy seeping through the wooden walls. You loved how intimate it was compared to the house you and Steve were staying in.

But you knew you didn’t have any reason to complain. Steve was the leader, the Alpha, and so he had to stay in touch with all his men, remain in the middle of the action, were something to happen. But Meera and Bucky’s house was something you’ve always dreamt of, and from the look of things, so had Meera.   
“What do you need my help for, huh? You know I’ve been locked up almost as long as you had, and there are very little things we were allowed to do and get better in. Besides, you are a much better sewer and gardener than me, so I don’t think there is much I can really teach you,” she chuckled.   
“Actually, there is one little thing. Unlike me, you are a mated Omega, and you have been for some time, so I thought…” you let the sentence unfinished, too ashamed to ask the thing out loud just yet. Your previous courage left you as soon as you sat down, and now you no longer thought of your visit as such a good idea.   
Meera had to take a few moments to understand the meaning behind your words, and when she did, she spat the water she was drinking.   
“Wait, you want me to give you bedroom tips, Y/N? I did not expect that when I saw you standing here,” Meera admitted and you smiled nervously.   
“I mean, there are still many things I don’t know too well, but I can tell you at least a little bit so that you’re not at nervous. You look like a dear caught in the headlights, sweetheart! We’re friends, you don’t have to be afraid of talking to me about such topics,” she said and scooted over to you so she could give you a warm hug.   
“What would you like to know?”

“I understand the basic principle. I lay down, and he takes me however he wants. But I know that there are some things that the Alphas like to do and I have no idea how to do them. I don’t know, like sucking or what is it called and some other, I don’t know, tips on how to make him feel better?”   
Meera chuckled again and patted your knee.   
“Sweetie, first of all, Steve will love anything that he gets to do with you because you are his chosen mate, and from Bucky told me, there is very little you can actually do for Steve to hate. I mean, don’t bite his dick, that wouldn’t be appreciated, but other than that? I think you are allowed to try whatever the hell you want and you’ll see for yourself.   
I know you’re a virgin, just like I was, and I’m not gonna lie, the first time is a little uncomfortable, but when done with the right person, you’ll feel great in no time, trust me. And as for Steve and sucking, you can try it, and you’ll see if you’re comfortable with it. From what I know, Tina isn’t the greatest fan, but Sam doesn’t pressure her. So, you’ll see when you’ll do it.   
A good tip that I read in one of the books laying around here is to give the head a few kitten licks, getting used to the scent and taste of him before trying to take him in your mouth. You don’t even have to take him far, just as far as you’re comfortable and suck as if you sucked a lollipop. And when you bring your hand to the rest you can’t fit in your mouth and just massage it, I think Steve will like that very much,” she winked at you and giggled at how flustered you looked.   
But you were taking everything in, appreciating every tip she could give you. You sat there for about twenty minutes, at first talking only about sex, but then changing the topics and just gossiping. You even shared the episode with Peggy from a two weeks ago, and Meera acknowledged your feelings, telling you she’d probably jumped at that bitch.   
When you were leaving in another two hours, you just asked Meera if you could borrow the book she talked about, and she gladly gave it to you, wishing you a good read. You just rolled your eyes at her and set on the walk towards the house.   
—-

When Peggy left the house and Steve took a couple of moments to regain his composure, he began looking for you. Naturally, the first place he looked into was your room. But when he found it empty, a weird feeling occurred in the pit of his stomach.   
The thought of Peggy being bitter and hurting you crossed his mind, and no matter how much he tried to shake it off, the worry was too pending for him to just forget it. And so he started with the frantic search.   
He looked everywhere he thought you might be hiding: the kitchen, the living room, the gym, the garden, everywhere. And no matter where he walked in, he found the place either empty of full of people that weren’t you.   
He even asked around, trying to find out whether people saw you in the last couple of minutes, if they saw Peggy and whether she was alone, but all he got were negative answers. Nobody saw anything because they all had better things to do than to look if a woman (let alone the Alpha’s Omega) crossed the mansion. His last resort was to try calling the phone he gave you, but that was useless as well because he found it laying on your bed-side table.  
“Bucky, are you absolutely sure Peggy left alone? Couldn’t have she taken a detour and, I don’t know, grab Y/N and run?” Steve asked frantically, and Bucky had a lot to do to keep Steve from lashing out.

“I’m sure, punk. She left, and I even saw to her driving away, just to be sure she doesn’t do anything stupid. I bet you’re overreacting, and your Omega is somewhere safe in the house, reading a book or taking a nap, or something,” Bucky thought out loud, but it did nothing for Steve’s nerves.   
“I looked everywhere! She’s not in the house, do you hear what I’m saying? My Omega is not here, and I bet she is somewhere injured, and I can’t fucking find her,” Steve’s voice boomed through the room, and Bucky had actually a lot to do not to quiver under the intensity of Steve’s voice. He was sure that were there any lower-ranked members present in the room, they would have kneeled in front of Steve by now. Just in case.   
“Do you feel her? I mean, does the bond feel her?” Bucky asked expertly, and it took a good few moments for Steve to understand his question.   
The only issue was that you and Steve weren’t mated, which meant that being apart hurt the bond in general, and Steve wasn’t sure he would know the difference between the constant throb in his chest when you weren’t next to him, and the agony he would probably feel were something to happen to you.   
“I don’t know, pal, I don’t know. We’re not mated, so it works a little differently with us, and I just… I don’t know what to do, Buck,” Steve’s voice broke at the end of the sentence, and Bucky saw his friend desperate and broken, for the first time in a long time.   
Not even the troubles with Peggy Steve used to have broken him as much as not knowing whether you were fine or not did. His control was slipping, and even though Bucky thought the bulky Alpha next to him overreacted a little bit, he knew there wasn’t much anybody could do unless you came back to him.   
“Let’s go recheck the garden. It’s a big space, and she could be in one of the hammocks at the end of the property, or some of the benches beside the lake on the south side. Have you looked there?” Bucky tried to sound as cheerful as he could, although it didn’t do much for Steve’s anxiety.   
“I mean, she doesn’t even know it’s there, so why would she be there, but sure, let’s check it out,” Steve sighed and walked by Bucky’s side outside.   
And that’s when it hit him. The scent he’d know anywhere in the world, safe and sound and sweet, and oh God, everything he ever wanted in life.   
Steve’s eyes focused on the person standing mere 5 meters away from him, and without thinking, he leapt across the porch to catch you in his arms.   
You squealed in surprise as your Alpha lifted you, not really sure why he seemed too happy to see you, especially since he had the critical meeting, and you thought he’d still be hidden behind the door of his office.

“Are you alright, Omega? Did somebody hurt you? Are you hurting somewhere? Y/N, answer me,” Steve’s questions and demand came in so shortly one after another that you didn’t have the time to properly reply before he hit you with another one. So, you pushed away ever so slightly to catch his head between your hands and make his flitting eyes concentrate on you.   
“I’m fine, calm down, Alpha. What’s going on?” You asked incredulously, glancing behind Steve’s back where an amused Bucky was leaning against the doorframe.   
Something changed in the air, and Steve turned to Bucky and motioned to the door for him to leave before he turned back to you.   
“Where have you been? I’ve been going nuts here. I thought something happened to you. I thought somebody hurt you. Jesus, I thought she hurt you! Do you have any idea how worried I have been in the past hour?” Steve hissed at you, and you couldn’t help but crouch a little under the weight of his words and gaze.   
“I went to visit Meera, I didn’t know I needed permission to leave the house,” you whispered and trained your eyes on the wooden porch underneath your feet. You didn’t like this Steve too much. You were genuinely sorry that he was so worried about you, but you also didn’t know that you needed to keep a log of your whereabouts. And who the hell was the she he thought hurt you?  
“You don’t need permission, my love, not at all. I just… gosh, I thought I lost you, and I almost went nuts, ok? Maybe just take your phone with you next time? So that I can call and make sure you’re safe Omega?” Steve’s tone changed, and you scoffed at your inner self who was already melting in her Alpha’s arms.   
“Fine, fine, I’ll bring the phone with me everywhere I go, if it pleases you. But why were you so worried something had happened to me? Are there any dangers awaiting me here, Steve?” You asked a little too harshly, but your patience was wearing thin.   
You understood that he was worried, but he had no right to reprimand you for such a small thing as leaving the house without telling him where you were going. You were no longer in the Circle, and you thought you had the freedom to leave the house. Not like you went far since you only took like 10 minutes to walk to Bucky and Meera’s, which was still on Steve’s property.

“Don’t be angry with me, my love. I’m sorry for freaking out, but I’m just so worried you’ll leave me. That you’ll realise I’m not the prince you’ve been waiting for and just get up and leave me one day. Or that somebody who would like to see me suffer will come and take the only important thing from me. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I was the reason why you got hurt,” Steve admitted, and the last of your annoyance evaporated from you.   
You sighed and weaved your fingers through Steve’s locks, bringing his head to your level to capture his lips with yours in a sweet and reassuring kiss. You couldn’t understand how this huge and powerful Alpha could be so shy and anxious at the same time. You would have thought he’d be one of those men who needed to assert his dominance and soothe his ego by sheer strength and that you wouldn’t catch him dead showing any sort of emotion.   
But he was the exact opposite. This man wore his heart on his sleeve and was never too afraid to show you just how much he cared, even though he sometimes overdid it, thus the worrying too much and the resulting anger.   
When you let him go, you could see the worry-line etched on his forehead were no more than traces by now, and that his face bore less and less stress each passing second you two spent together.

“You are my prince, Steve, never doubt that. You saved me and showed me what it meant to be cared for and loved without expecting anything back. Your love for the people around you is immense, and I am the happiest person alive to have met you and to call you my Alpha. I’m not worried about any of your enemies because I know you’ll protect me. Stop worrying so much, and let’s enjoy that we’re together on such a lovely day,” you finished, and Steve couldn’t help it but brought you to another kiss.   
“How did I get so lucky, huh? My lucky star probably loves me too much, and I just hope I won’t piss her off anytime soon,” Steve smiled, and you chuckled at how goofy he was.   
“Uh-huh,” you nuzzled against the hardness of your Alpha’s chest before you remembered something.   
“Who was the she you were so worried about?” You asked and felt Steve’s muscle tense a little before he released a heavy sigh.   
“You know who it is. Peggy came in to talk about some business, but I made sure she knew she wasn’t welcomed here any longer, so she shouldn’t be an issue again,” Steve tried to explain, and you knew it would be worthless to try and make him feel bad about something he had very little power over. You just hoped she’d stay away from your Alpha, or you wouldn’t be responsible for your own actions.   
Steve was glad he didn’t have to explain anything else because while he could only imagine how uncomfortable you must have been knowing it was her interrupting your heated moment, it was a business meeting, and Steve had still other obligations apart from the happiness of his Omega.   
You two were standing on the porch in a tight hug, each of you deep in your thoughts, which, unbeknownst to the other, were pretty much identical. Each of you was thinking about your shared future and the love and safety that came with your flourishing relationship.  
—-

Rumlow’s phone rang just as he reached his garage, and looking at the number, he smirked devilishly. It was precisely what he was hoping for. The one thing that could get him the much-needed advantage over that bastard Rogers.   
“Yes?” He asked, and laughed when he heard the slight groan coming from the other end of the line.   
“I’m in, Rumlow. I’łl help you because I’m sick of him and his new love. All that I’m asking is you leave him to me, and you can do whatever you want with that bitch,” the voice sneered, and Brock smiled victoriously.   
Now that he had the ally, there was very little that was stopping him from finally taking over and building the world as it should be. Dark and cold and with him on the top. With the sweet-smelling Omega by his side.


	18. Business Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Free life is something you hadn’t even dreamt of, and so you don’t even know what you’re really good at. Until you try it.

You soon realised one simple thing: you didn’t know what to do with yourself. You were never taught to do anything because you were a simple Omega and your life should be filled with only one thing: pleasing your Alpha whatever way he wanted, not talking back, and giving him pups. But since Steve was the least oppressive man you’ve ever met in your life, you knew you didn’t have to worry about any of that anytime soon.   
It wasn’t like you didn’t want to please him. Quite the contrary, actually. Steve being a creature of habit, you soon learned about his likes and dislikes and tried to make sure everything in his life was to his favour. So, it wasn’t difficult to get to know his breakfast habits, which were an omelette with exactly four cherry tomatoes, half of the cucumber, and a piece of bread on top of which a melted butter was spread. To top it all, Steve liked to drink his coffee black and steaming hot. So that’s what you made for him every morning, and you always got the reaction you were looking for. Steve’s quiet praise and purrs, leaving his lips when he saw you in the kitchen with the plate in your hand.   
But he never expected you to do it, and that was why it always came as a surprise that you were really standing there in front of him, trying to do everything in your power to see the smile on his smile.   
And just like you were trying to do everything for Steve, the Alpha would walk the extra mile to make you comfortable as well. He would make sure your scent was calm every time he passed you on the hallway, and even if he needed to deal with urgent matters, he always found a minute to check on you.   
While that was all sweet, you knew there was more in life than just your Alpha. Steve often asked you what it was you wanted to do, and you soon realised that you had no idea. You’ve already made your little garden pregnant with all possible fruits and vegetables you could, and your yoga skills were better than ever since you could work out any time you wanted.   
And sure, you picked up sewing again, and you were now the one people in the house came to when they needed something mended, which made your heart full because you were needed. And that was a mighty feeling, that much was for sure.   
But it wasn’t enough for you. There was a calling inside you, and while you still weren’t sure what it was that it wanted, you were sure as hell that your current life wasn’t your true fulfilment.

It was one afternoon when Steve wasn’t in the house, dealing with something back in old Brooklyn, that one of his men came running to you. He was a sweet guy, although sometimes a bit too full of himself. His name was Peter, Peter Quill, and he looked absolutely bewildered.   
“Y/N, Y/N!” He screamed as he came running to the little room Steve gave you so you could sew in peace.   
“We have a problem,” he breathed out when he finally got in, and your heart skipped a beat.   
“What is it? Is everybody alright?” You asked worriedly, and Peter just nodded, but the look of anxiety didn’t leave his face.   
“Yeah, yeah, everybody is fine. That’s not what it’s about. It’s just that Alpha Steve should have had a meeting and he obviously forgot, and now he’s not picking up his phone, and neither is Bucky or Sam, and so I don’t know what to do with the Beta man standing in the doorway,” he hurried through the issue, and your brows knotted together.   
You sighed and massaged your temples. There wasn’t much you could really do because of the men weren’t aware of issues happening behind closed doors of Steve’s office, and they were all too afraid they’d mess up something for their Alpha.   
The voice in your head pressed on you to just do what you were supposed to do. You were the one who was present to many meetings since your bond wouldn’t let you be without Steve for too long, and so you were now quite used to sitting through Steve’s multiple meetings. And while you didn’t pay as much attention as you could, you knew you weren’t an idiot, and you actually remembered most of what was said there.   
“Alright, bring them to Steve’s office, and I make myself presentable and join them soon. Meanwhile, offer them a cup of coffee or a glass of water, or something and apologise for the inconvenience, alright?”   
Petter nodded furiously and scurried out of the room and down the stairs. Your heart was hammering against your ribcage, but you willed it to slow down a bit and allow you to breathe. You could do it, whatever it was, you could get through it and make Steve proud of his Omega. You were sure of it.  
—-

When you were sure you looked like a human being again, and also looked like somebody Steve would be proud of, you finally emerged out of your room and hurried to Steve’s office. When you came in, you were greeted by a familiar face.   
“Dr Banner,” you exclaimed, and a little bit of your anxiety fell off, as you were met with a pair of already familiar eyes. Dr Banner had been in the mansion a few times since you arrived.   
“Ah, Y/N! Nice to see you again. I take it Steve won’t be joining us today?” He asked politely, and you sat opposite to him before you spoke up again.   
“Unfortunately, he had an urgent matter to take care of, but I hope I’ll be enough for you today. Let’s hope I won’t get lost in all the technical terms you love so much,” you chuckled, and he joined you, for he was the one known for always using terms nobody around him understood.   
Steve actually told you about Dr Banner, and that was what helped your mind to take it easy. First, he was Beta, and that alone made you feel safer in his presence, and secondly, he had always been very respectful towards you whenever he met you, being very close to Steve for many years. Steve always said that he was one of the kindest men he’d ever met, even if there were occasions, especially during the war that his anger got a hold of him and all hell turned loose. But now that everything was safe again (or, relatively safe, at least), Banner was back to his usual kind self.   
“I could come another time if you don’t feel like talking to me. I would totally understand,” he smiled at you.   
“Oh, nonsense! If you promise to go easy on me, I think we can manage without Steve just fine,” you smirked, and Banner just nodded before taking out a stack of papers.   
“Sure thing. So, Steve made me look into the stuff the Circle had been doing all these years to Omegas such as yourself. When you were feeling sick, and the doctor came, he took a sample of your blood to be sure what he was dealing with, and when Steve realised it was a combination of hormones, he sent it to me to further analyse it.   
What I found is… remarkable, and I’m actually glad you’re here today so that I could ask additional questions. Are you up for it?” He asked kindly, and you gulped ever so slightly. You were aware that Steve was pissed at the Circle, but you didn’t know he wanted to look into it so profoundly. But it gave you a glimmer of hope that other Omegas might not have to go through the hell you had to.

“Of course, anything I can do to help, really,” you reassured him, and he nodded, looking back to the papers.   
“Great! By the way, please call me Bruce, Dr Banner is just so formal, and I think you and I can be friends,” he offered, and you gladly took it.   
“Alright, so, from what I was able to gather, the pills they made you take were mostly blockers for FSH, or the follicle-stimulating hormone, which is a hormone that helps the body of an Omega to produce follicles which contain eggs for reproduction. These blockers affect your brain so that they kinda trick your brain into thinking there isn’t enough of this hormone to produce the eggs but also stopping the production of other essential hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. They also put a lot of vitamin K inside the pills, which results in higher blood clotting, and while it’s necessary in small doses, in such high concentration, it can result in actual clots in your veins. Anyway, they put a lot of other stuff, such as small doses of testosterone and even steroids to stop your bodies from getting into heats, but still, keep you agile and, most importantly, fertile.   
However, it is an extremely toxic mix of drugs, and I’m actually quite surprised you’re not more affected by it. I can only assume that it’s because of the presence of Steve that your body got through it without more severe changes. I cannot be sure, but I think it’s because you two are true mates that your body reacts this way, and I can only imagine what it would do to an Omega that was bought without such a profound bond between them and their Alpha. I would like to ask you if you could spare another sample of blood? I would love to examine it even more,” Bruce said, and you could only nod.   
You knew that the mix of pills they made you all take was not good, but this? Bruce was pretty much telling you that they were slowly killing you. Your body didn’t have the outlet for all the natural processes, and what was more, they were filling you with so much of other things that in the combination they were changing your body and its functions altogether.   
“Would you like the blood of the other two Omegas saved at the same time as me? I mean, they weren’t there as long as I was, so I guess their numbers will be a little different, but if it helps… I bet they’d both loved to help,” you chimed in, and Bruce furiously nodded.   
“That would be awesome! The more, the better, really.”

“Sure, yeah. We can do that once we’re done here. They should both be at home so we can go and visit them afterwards. What else do you have there?”   
Bruce scratched his chin and concentrated on the numbers on the papers.   
“Steve told me a little bit about what he saw inside, and from all that I drew a conclusion that they use very high-tech equipment to both keep track of the Omegas there and of making sure they stay there. There are actually very few people who could design anything on that level as walls changing into windows and back and stuff like that, and I wrote down a list of names who could be behind it. Many of those people are our allies, and I hope Steve won’t be stupid enough to go knocking on their doors and starting some trouble without hard proof.   
There is one more thing. Do you think it would be possible for me to have a look at the scar on your arm? Steve said it can act up sometimes, and I would love to take some measurements, if you didn’t mind, of course,” Bruce smiled, and you didn’t even think about it before you rolled your sleeve and thrust your arm in his face.   
“Do what you must. Really, anything to help,” you added and Bruce gave you one his grateful smiles before he took out a thing that looked like a phone and put it against your arm. It vibrated a little, but it wasn’t anything uncomfortable. Besides, you trusted Bruce, for some reason, so you felt like you didn’t have a reason to worry.   
When the machine was done, Bruce looked at the numbers and graphs and sighed.   
“That’s what I was worried about. Uh-huh. It looks like they not only carved a code on your arm, they also put a chip inside you. And from what I can tell, it seems to be connected to your basalt vein, in case somebody tried to remove it. But I can’t be sure until I look into it more,” Bruce sighed, and all hair on your body stood up.   
“You wanna tell me there is something connected to a big-ass vein in my arm that could cut it any time?” You gasped, and Bruce nodded, not really aware of the horror he created inside you.

“But don’t worry, I’ll figure out what to do with it. Just, don’t try and get it out of you until I come back,” he muttered, still looking at his little device and clearly thinking.   
“Yeah, don’t worry! I didn’t even know there was something like that inside me, let alone to try and get it out. When Steve finds out, he’s gonna go mad,” you realised and groaned, knowing that fretting this man was capable of.   
“I would say, don’t tell him, but we both know how that’d go. So, just, tell him that I’ll do everything I can to figure it out. Hopefully, that’ll calm him down. Anyway, now that we have this over with, there is another thing I need to discuss, and that is the vaccine for the people in the city and its distribution,” Bruce nodded, and you didn’t have an argument why not to continue, so you sat back in your chair and listened to him talk, trying to find out the best possible outcome for everybody.   
You knew you couldn’t really make a final decision, but the longer you and Bruce talked, the more you understood the whole issue, and the easier the solutions came to you. Bruce sat amazed at how easily you seemed to be dealing with such essential matters, and how much sympathy you had for the ordinary people. He was sure to tell Steve that his Omega was, indeed, an incredible person, full of great ideas and with a big heart.   
—-

Steve came back several hours later, and he was greeted with a very anxious looking Peter.   
“What happened, Quill? Is my Omega, alright?” Steve’s mind went into override, and it created a thousand different scenarios in which you got hurt, and he wasn’t there to protect you.   
He didn’t even care what Quill was trying to tell him, and Steve rushed up the stairs and immediately went into your room. When he didn’t find you there, he could swear he had a deja-vu from a few days ago when he couldn’t find you. But you told him not to worry, so he tried to tell himself that you were ok. When he didn’t succeed, he ran to your little space for sewing, but still nothing.   
He was almost losing his mind, but then he heard a noise in his own office.   
Opening the door, he found you sitting in his chair, carefully looking through some papers.   
“You gotta stop doing this to me, ‘Mega. You’re gonna kill me with all this hiding from me one day,” Steve smiled softly when he saw you jump in the chair, but his smile got bigger when he saw a smile of your own spread on your beautiful lips.   
“Alpha,” you sighed happily and stood up to hug the man you’ve missed the whole day.   
“Omega,” Steve reciprocated and kissed the crown of your head. But it wasn’t enough. So, he did what he wanted to since the two of you were taking further steps in your relationship. He nudged your head with his for you to make way and bent your head to the side so that he could scent you properly.   
The first drag was like filling his lungs with the most delicious drug, and he never wanted to get off it. His nose travelled up and down the column of your throat and stopped only when he reached the place where his mark would eventually go, where he sucked in your skin ever so lightly, making sure he didn’t break it but just tingle it briefly with his tongue and teeth.

You sighed happily in his arms, but then you realised that you’ve had a hell of a day and Steve probably knew nothing about it.  
Pulling away ever so slightly, Steve looked down at you with raised brows, but you just shook your head before pecking his lips quickly and drawing away completely, you sat down on his desk and patted the chair in front of you for him to occupy.   
“Did you hear what happened today?” You asked cautiously.   
“No. I mean, Quill probably tried to tell me something, but the second I thought you might be hurt I rushed to find you,” Steve admitted, and the blood rushed to his cheeks.   
“Of course you did,” you laughed a little and gave Steve a raised brow at the same protectiveness you two already talked about.   
“So, what happened?” Steve pried, and you laid a hand on top of his, to react in case he would feel the need to stand up and maybe kill somebody.   
“Well, you obviously forgot about Bruce coming in today, and so I kinda stepped in for you, and dealt with him and all the issue that arose from that conversation,” you started, and Steve’s hand immediately clenched into a fist. There was a little worry inside you that he’d be mad at you for dealing with stuff for him, so you made yourself as small as possible.   
“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I didn’t mean to put you in such a position. You could have totally sent him home, and I’d deal with it when I came back from the city,” Steve sighed, worried that Bruce might have said something to disturb you and make you leave him.  
“I mean, I didn’t mind at all. Bruce is a really kind man, and he walked me through everything. Besides, he had a lot to say about the Circle, and he even took some more blood from the girls and me to run more tests. Everything he told me is in these papers for you to look at when you have a free moment, by the way. We also discussed the transport to the vaccines to the city, but I didn’t want to confirm anything until you had a look at it, so, that’s on the other stack over there, and all you have to do is to call Bruce afterwards,” you smiled when you saw Steve calm down a little and stare at you in awe.   
“You dealt with all of that alone? Well, baby, I didn’t know I had such a businesswoman beside me. Had I known it I’d let you deal with such stuff for me,” he smirked at you, and you were glad he wasn’t pissed. Yet, that was because you still hadn’t told him about the tiny little device in your arm.   
Steve could sense the uneasiness in you, and his huge hand splayed on your knee, sending a shiver down your spine and making you relax under his touch.   
“There is another thing. Bruce pretty much x-rayed my scar to see if there was any code left for him to decipher and he found something,” you tiptoed around it as if Steve was to burst into flames any given minute.

“And?” He asked anxiously, all too aware of your stalling.   
“He found a chip underneath the scar. And before you make a scene, I’m fine, and everything’s fine, it’s just that he thinks that if he were to remove it, it might enclose itself around my vein and make it burst,” you let the rest of the information simmer by the two of you, not really keen on telling Steve straight away that it might actually kill you.   
But he obviously got the message because before you registered what was going on, Steve was on his feet and reaching for the door in one swift movement.   
“I’m gonna kill them all. One by one, I’ll tear their limbs off their bodies and make them eat it. Fucking hell! I’m gonna make them suffer, Omega, I promise,” he was growling and snarling, and you had a lot to do to stop him from actually leaving the room.

“Calm down, Alpha. I’m fine, for now. Bruce promised to look into it, and we both know how smart that guy is. I’m sure he’ll figure something out. I know you’re pissed, as am I, but we need to stay calm and focused. We’ll get through this, Alpha,” you whispered, and Steve seemed to have finally calmed down enough for him to allow you to hug him properly.   
“I can’t lose you, that’s all. I just… I can’t even imagine my life without you, Y/N, and if there are some fuckers who think they’ll outsmart me and hurt me by taking you away, I’ll teach them. Nobody touches you without repercussions,” Steve snarled again, but this time you were sure he wouldn’t do anything stupid.   
So, when you felt his hands leaving your body, you knew you didn’t have to worry about his movements. Instead of reaching for the door, he picked you up by your thighs as if you weighed nothing and he sat you down on top of his table, himself standing in between your legs, and he took you all in.   
“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Omega, and I’m not letting anyone ruin it for us. Not a fucking chance,” he growled lowly before his lips finally met yours in a heated kiss.  
And you knew Steve was speaking the truth. He would never let anybody hurt you, and even though you were an Omega, you would make sure nobody hurt him either. Because as much as you were his, he was yours, and you would make sure it stayed that way.


	19. Not So Innocent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is stressed because of all that is happening in the world, and you come up with a way for him to relax. And you might even use the book your friend lent you a while ago.

Steve was thinking of how to make everything better for you in your new life. He thought of everything from your own little garden to a study where you could sew as well, given you liked it so much and actually asked him if he could get you a sewing machine. What he didn’t think of was that you would want to be more involved in his life. And he loved the very idea of it.   
When he came and found out you took care of Bruce for him, there was a second where he was scared. You didn’t know enough about the business to run a meeting, but when he looked over all the papers, and actually listened to what you had to say, he was impressed, to say the least.   
You understood the needs of the people, much better than he could ever do, and you were perfect for any leadership position for this sheer fact. Sure, there could be an issue with some of Steve’s partners, because you were still an Omega, and it wasn’t that usual for an Omega to be anywhere else but in a bedroom.   
But Steve would deal with those people if an actual issue arose. So, he integrated you into his work more and more every day. It was the little things at first: going over some contract to see if you thought everything was alright, or if there was something you would have done differently. When he saw the hunger in your eyes for more information and more authority so that you could be more helpful, he didn’t waste any more time and took you with him to the meetings.

People did look at him strangely, mostly because you were actually speaking up, and calling people out on their bullshit. You were no longer the meek little Omega people knew and associated with Steve. Nope, you were your own woman, and if your scent didn’t betray you, people would actually consider you to be at least a Beta.   
But Steve knew better. You were a strong independent woman, but you were also his Omega, and he loved this little fact.   
Still, there was no mark on your neck to prove it, which was something Steve thought about quite often. He wanted to show the world what a beautiful Omega he had, but he knew there was no way of rushing it. It had to come from a place of utter trust and love for him, and as long as you didn’t give him explicit permission, there would be no mark on your body.   
That, of course, didn’t mean that Steve couldn’t imagine how it would feel and look if you had it on you. The rush the overtook him every time he imagined it told him that the real thing might as well kill him with joy and pleasure. His mouth actually salivated when he imagined the rigged edges of the half-moon scar on the juncture of your neck and the way your skin and blood would feel on his tongue.

And that wasn’t the only bodily reaction the picture in his mind caused him. He always felt the straining in his pants and had to take a few deep breaths before he was able to function again. Every. Damn. Time! Steve couldn’t even imagine the real thing because he was afraid he would come the second he’d smell your arousal.   
But he was getting ahead of himself, and he knew it. Right now, the only thing you were seemingly comfortable with was some kissing, if Steve didn’t count that one time Bucky interrupted the two of you in his bedroom. Which was still a little something he couldn’t get over. Just thinking that had Peggy not come, you and Steve could have been bonded and mated, and the world could have been a much better place for that.   
But no. The fate wasn’t on your side that time, and Steve just hoped it would come to its senses soon because every time he scented you, or just looked at you, the Alpha in him puffed his chest and wanted his female to be with him. All the time. Steve was going in circles and hew as aware of that, but that was just how his brain worked. He might have been the leader Alpha and all that, but deep inside, he was insecure and scared that you might wanna leave him in the near future. And that was something Steve was pretty sure would kill him.   
—-

It was a late afternoon when Steve finally left his office to get something to eat. The day had been hectic, to say the least, and while you were still on his mind, he knew you were safe in the house and that he could direct his energy to the more pressing matters. Rumlow had, apparently, been seen in the city, and Steve was furious.   
He wanted his gone, forever at best, and so he sent a search crew to find him and bring him over to the Tower, where the police resided and where he did most of the interrogation if need be. But he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Rumlow was a sleazy guy, and there was no way he would get caught easily.   
Steve regretted not killing him during the duel for you because it was the perfect chance and nobody could have said anything about it. Now he didn’t know where that fucker was precisely, and it made Steve’s blood run cold. Sure, Steve was the most feared guy, but Rumlow didn’t play fair, and all his actions seemed to have come from thin air which made Steve that much more alert to him.   
Steve couldn’t figure out one simple thing. It had been years since he last had to deal with Rumlow, and, suddenly, he was all over his life and the country. There seemed to have been no way of getting rid of him, no matter how much Steve wanted it. Moreover, what the fuck did Rumlow want? Was there something in the city that made him come all the way down there, or what was it? The thought passed Steve’s mind that it might be about their ongoing brawl, but Steve dismissed it and tried to think of something better than that. But nothing came to his mind.   
His hands were on the table and gripping his head, as Steve tried to figure everything out. His brain was so preoccupied with the snake of a man that he didn’t even notice when the door to his office and opened and closed quietly.   
It was only when Steve felt warm hands on his shoulders that he realised he wasn’t alone in the room anymore. The first reflex was to get rid of the assailant. Fortunately, his brain worked faster than his body, and he had the time to realise that it was no assailant, but his sweet Omega standing behind him.   
Steve sighed heavily before his hands left the table and travelled up his shoulders to grab your hands in his.

“‘Mega, what are you doing here?” Steve asked a little breathily since he didn’t have the time to compose himself before you came in. And that sweet scent of yours was numbing his brain.   
“I came to see if you were alright, Alpha. All the men left the office more than an hour ago, and you’re still shut in here,” you reasoned a little, and Steve sighed again.   
“I didn’t mean to make you worried, Y/N, I’m sorry. It’s just, a lot is going on in my mind today, and I can’t seem to be able to shut it all up. But I’m going to be ok. Why don’t you go downstairs and I’ll be with you in a minute?” Steve asked sweetly, not really wanting to pull you into his own bullshit. Not if he could help it.   
You shushed him easily, and your hands started to knead his constricted muscles in his shoulders, and while Steve hissed a little, he also melted in your touch. You didn’t even know if what you were doing was any good, but when a quiet moan escaped Steve’s lips, you figured you were on a right path.   
And that was when an idea occurred to you. It was risky, and you still weren’t sure if you could do it, but you would only learn if you tried, right? And, by the way, the book Meera lent you was a tremendous help. You couldn’t help but read it all in like a day, engrossed by all the different techniques to pleasure a guy, and all the different positions available to you once you decided to go through with the whole thing.   
While the “whole thing” was still a topic little too uneasy for your own brain, there were other things you were willing to try, especially since Steve needed to unwind. And what better way to unwind than a blowjob?  
—-

Steve was shocked, to say the least when he felt your hands slowly drifting from his shoulders and neck to his chest. He didn’t say anything though, not ready to break the spell and utterly enjoying your dainty hands sliding across his clothed body.   
Though, he couldn’t keep quiet when one of your hands nonchalantly slid down the front of his pants and stops there.   
“What-what are you doing, Omega?” Steve half groaned as his cock already started to throb behind the confines of his pants.   
“Shh, Alpha, just enjoy it,” you said, trying to sound as sultry and courageous as you could manage, despite the nerves shaking the whole inside of your body.   
Steve had always taken orders well, and when they come from a pretty mouth like yours… well, let’s say his brain ceased to function altogether.   
You turned his chair so that he was facing you and gave him a little wink before you kneeled in front of him. You could see Steve tensing up, but he didn’t make a move to stop you, and you took it as a good sign.   
Slowly undoing his pants you looked him deep in the eyes, something the book was pretty adamant about: keeping eye contact, and when you felt the belt and the button loosen up under your touch, you bid Steve stand up so that you could take the fabric off of him entirely.   
Steve’s eyes were the widest you’d seen them, or really, seen any eyes ever before in your life. There was a slight fear in you that you were doing something he didn’t want, and it made your movements halt for a moment.

“You don’t have to do anything, Omega. I don’t even know what to say,” Steve muttered as he sat back down, his pants still pooled around his ankles.   
“I really wanna try this thing, Steve. I know I’m not experienced or anything, but I wanna make you feel good, if you let me, that is,” you looked at him through your lashes, and Steve could have sworn he never saw anything sexier than you in that very moment. He was done for, and there was no saving him. Ever.   
“I would love that, but I don’t wanna push you, baby,” Steve smiled, and you knew this was your chance. He gave you the permission, and now you’d work for the praise.   
You didn’t waste any more time before you palmed him through his boxer briefs, feeling the weight of his member in your palm, your mouth already salivating. You knew it would be tough to take him all, you realised it even through the thin layer separating you from your goal, but you would manage it anyhow. The book taught you well, you hoped.   
Sliding your fingers under the elastic band of his briefs, you let your palm travel south while the other hand scratched his abdomen. Steve was clutching the armrests of the chair so hard you were afraid they would snap, but you didn’t pay it too much attention because your eyes drifted towards what you craved most. What the Omega in you desired the most.   
The briefs came off next, and there he was, sitting in front of you half-naked and looking as if some divine power sculpted him for you.   
“Wow,” you breathed out, and Steve let out a chuckle. He knew he was well endowed, but no woman had ever stared at him with such awe in her eyes. And Steve felt all that more powerful thanks to that. He felt invincible, and all thanks to you.  
You wanted to see if the book was right, and so you abruptly took him in your hand and closed your fist around his girth, doing the initial pump that you’ve read about. And you had to admit, the book was actually not that accurate because the feeling of his cock in your hand was even better. It was silky and smooth but for the rigged veins on the underside of it. Steve’s thighs clenched as you did the movement, and when you looked up, you could see him staring down at you with a new look in his eyes: lust.   
Which only spurred you on. You licked your lips to moist them properly, before you bowed down on the level of Steve’s cock which was standing proudly in your hand, and you took the first lick.

Steve’s hips bucked involuntarily at the feeling of your warm tongue on his cock, and you smiled before you took a breath and took him in your mouth properly. And he tasted so much like Steve it actually made you dizzy. This was a man in your hand and mouth, and the Omega in you was ecstatic.   
Steve laid his hand on your shoulder, probably telling himself not to push you too hard since it was your first time, and while you were glad that he let you do it on your own the first time, you already couldn’t wait for the future times where he’d take over and just fuck your mouth. The mere thought of it made your panties grow damp, and you moaned around his shaft.   
You opted for sucking as much of his length as you could while your hand was pumping where your mouth didn’t reach. You occasionally let your tongue slip out and circle around him, and every time Steve felt that he moaned out loud.   
It didn’t take long before you felt the taste of his precum on your tongue and felt his cock jumping and throbbing in your mouth. And you knew what was coming. Steve actually tried to push you away, not too sure how you’d take it if he came down your throat the first time, but you didn’t let him.   
You grabbed him by his ass and pretty much choked on him when you felt the salty liquid going down your throat as well as leaking around the corners of your mouth. Steve was groaning like a wounded animal as his cum spurted and painted the inside of your mouth white. When you were sure there wasn’t anything else to give, you let Steve go, and he huffed out, laying his hand on his chest as if he was trying to catch a breath.   
“Wow! Y/N! What the hell was that?” Steve asked incredulously when he felt like his heart wouldn’t jump out of his chest anymore.   
You smiled like a Cheshire cat and licked your lips before you stood up in front of him.   
“You were tense, and now you’re not. Problem solved,” you smirked at him, and before you could think about going away, Steve pulled you down on him so you were straddling his waist and he kissed your mouth.

This kiss was precisely like that in his bedroom: full of passion and hunger you’ve never felt in your life. Steve actually groaned when he tasted the last bits of himself in your mouth, and it only made you more aroused.   
You were both breathless by the time you stopped, and Steve still wore that confused look on his face which made you giggle.   
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love what just happened, but… what the hell?” He asked, and you kissed him again before you let your head rest on his shoulder.   
“I’ve been reading this book, and I thought it was a good time to take another step in our relationship, and this seemed like a good step, don’t you think?”  
“Oh, believe me, this was the best fucking step ever,” he groaned into your hair, but before he could return the favour, you both heard voices from downstairs, calling you for dinner.   
“Let’s go eat, I think that’s enough of first steps for today,” you smirked at him knowingly and jumped off his legs, earning a playful smack across your ass from Steve as you did that.   
“Fine, but next time? It’s my turn to take a step,” Steve growled lowly, and the sound went straight to your pussy. You couldn’t wait for the next step.


	20. Well, Well, Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Steve go about your day as usual until you are interrupted by somebody you’ve never seen before, but Steve knows all too well.

The dinner was more awkward for Steve than for anybody else because while you were satisfied with your actions, and did not really think things would go anywhere else that particular night, Steve couldn’t keep the images of you on your knees from appearing in front of his eyes during the meal. He fidgeted the whole time, scratching the back of his neck, drying his hands on his pants or just throwing his food from one part of the plate to another.   
Bucky noticed it first, and the longer you all sat there, the more obvious it had become that the two of you moved forward in your relationship. And while Bucky was happy for that, there still wasn’t no mark on your neck, and that bothered him a little. He knew how much it mattered to Steve to have your consent and all that, but he also wished that Steve just took a little initiative and finally make you his. Especially because of the constant visits from Peggy, and the impending threat of Brock.   
But he swallowed all the thoughts threatening to spill from his mouth and just smiled at the two of you, too aware that a) Steve would kill him had he started talking about such a personal matter in front of everyone, and b) Steve would kill him if he pointed out that he looked at your neck or even thought about it. This or that, the only result it would have been Bucky’s death, and he wanted to stay clear from that, especially if it had to come from his best friends.   
You also noticed Steve’s uneasiness, but whenever you tried to touch his arm or leg, he would act as if you burnt him, and so you shrugged, rolled your eyes at him and continued to enjoy your tasty meal while engaging in a conversation with other members of the house.

In the time you’ve spent in the mansion, you made quite a few acquaintances, especially with the few Beta’s that were there. Quill and Gamora were the closest ones to you, for some reason. You liked Quill for his sense of humour, and while Gamora was a little tougher, she had a kind heart, and the two of you had a fair share of late nights just chatting about your days, and she even shared some funny stories from the house, which you couldn’t get enough of.   
When you tried to touch Steve again, and he jumped up, again, you turned to face him, and even your face was that of a proper scolding.   
“What is your problem?” You hissed under your breath, trying to be as quiet as possible but still as reprimanding as you could.   
He turned to you as well, a surprised look on his face as if he didn’t expect you to have such a mean tone when addressing him. Well, you might have been an Omega, but you wouldn’t stand him acting like a fool around you and not speaking your mind.   
“N-nothing, I don’t have a problem. Just stop the touching, or Imma take you right here, in front of everyone, and I won’t give a damn about anything in the world,” Steve growled lowly, and it was now your turn to widen your eyes and stare at him in disbelief. You felt the tingling in your cheeks from the slight embarrassment caused by Steve’s words. It was as if he wanted everyone around the table to hear him talk like that to you.   
You scoffed to hide your current state and turned back to your food, not paying Steve any more attention as you directed all of it towards Gamora. She had a knowing look on her face, and you knew she heard it all, which only made you sink lower in your chair. Your Alpha was a crude ass, that was for sure. But there was also a part of you which imagine what Steve said and was utterly attracted to it, kind of wishing he wouldn’t just threaten to do it, but actually did it. But you would never admit that out loud. Not to him, anyway.   
—-

The next morning was busy as ever. You and Steve decided on going to the city to see how the business was going about there. Not that there wasn’t enough to do around the mansion, but you wanted to get out once in a while, and today was one of those days.   
You knew Steve was glad to have you by his side, especially during the long drive there so that the two of you could spend some alone time together. The mansion was grand and all, but more often than not people came running into his office or knocking on his door, and it seemed as though there wasn’t a while when the two fo you could be just together.   
While driving to a business meeting shouldn’t be considered “alone time” either, probably, you cherished those little moments where you knew nobody could interrupt you.   
You talked and talked, and laughed and laughed, and you could see Steve was more relaxed around you than the previous evening. The moment passes, or so it seemed, and the air was no longer full of lust and arousal. You both could breathe again, and that was nice as well.   
“So, what exactly is the meeting about? Since this is the first one I’ll be attending in the city, I thought you could prepare me a little,” you suggested, and Steve smiled at you with appreciation laced on his face. He was ecstatic about the energy you had around you whenever you could do something more than just sit and be pretty. Especially when it came down to the business part of his life.

“We’re just gonna see how the affiliation of the police and the people goes, while also checking if the situation is stable. I would hate for another gang war to break, and I’ve been trying to do everything to stop it from happening, but we’ll see if my actions come bearing some fruits,” Steve smiled at you briefly and continued to gaze forward.   
You knew he had a lot on his plate. You saw some of the contract and that kind of stuff, but since you’ve been with him for such a short time, a little over 3 months, you didn’t know everything and didn’t understand everything. So, you were glad Steve actually took the time to explain stuff to you plainly, in a language that was easy for you to comprehend before you were thrown into the meeting itself.   
Steve talked for the better part of the journey, going through the people that would be present at the meeting, all the subjects that might arise and even his own fears and worst-case scenarios.   
Every such interaction with him had one simple effect on you and your brain: he was the right person for you. It was that easy, and, suddenly, you couldn’t imagine that you’d be paired with somebody else; that it wouldn’t have been Steve who bought you that day but another Alpha. You instinctively cuddled against Steve’s side despite the belts because you just wanted to feel your Alpha against you.   
Steve notice the change in the atmosphere but didn’t address it. He kept talking about the business until he felt that you calmed down enough to sit upright again, and when he gave you a look asking if you were alright, you just nodded, a little embarrassed that your head and your fears affected you so.   
Shaking your head, you regained your composure just as Steve parked the car in front of the Tower.   
“Ready?” Steve asked and extended a hand for you to take, which you gladly did and you two walked inside side by side like a real power couple. People in the building actually stared at you because you two oozed energy and power and respect, and those that weren’t used to such strong feelings actually quivered and trained their eyes on the ground. It was as if you two were the sun and some people just weren’t strong enough to look directly at you.

There was, however, one person by the elevators who didn’t seem fazed by the two of you at all. At first, you tried to not pay him any attention, but the closer you got, the more you started to notice his stance and the look on his face, and the uneasy feeling got back to your stomach.   
You tensed up a little bit, and Steve, who was on his phone up until that point, looked first at you to check if you were ok and then he looked around, his body freezing mid-step when he recognised the man in front of you.   
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” The man asked mockingly, and shivers ran down your spine, making you grip Steve’s hand even harder.   
Steve’s actions spoke for him as he took one more step standing in between you and the mystery guy while he puffed out his chest and growled lowly. But it wasn’t a growl you’ve heard from him yet. Sure, he growled a lot even at home, but all of those noises were nothing compared to the one leaving his lips now.   
It was vicious and animalistic, and, for the first time in a long time, it dawned on you that Steve could have been really dangerous, especially when he wanted to.   
“Rumlow, what are you doing here?” Steve asked, holding on to the last threads of his sanity at the moment. You were sure that if the man actually moved, Steve would have ripped his throat out in front of all the people in the room.   
“What? Can’t I come to the city where dreams are made of?” He scoffed mockingly hurt, and Steve took another step towards him, letting go of your hand in the process.   
“You’ve been causing problems all over the country, and I’m not gonna let you cause some here as well. Turn around and go back where you came from, or this will end badly for you,” Steve hissed, but Rumlow just laughed and stepped closer to the two of you. It was then that his eyes fixated on you, your heart dropping in your stomach because of the intensity of his stare.

Steve saw it all and shielded your body with his so that Rumlow couldn’t see even the top of your head over his broad shoulders, but the deed had been done. You felt violated, even. The thought from the car came back to you, and you realised that you could have had somebody like this Rumlow as your mate and that your life would probably be just like you thought it would when you were still locked up. Miserable and cold.   
“Don’t you even look at her, you bastard,” Steve growled, and Rumlow raised his brows but took a step back, probably not really keen on fighting Steve in one of the best-secured buildings. Well, not that secure when Rumlow got there, and it was an issue Steve was ready to address as soon as he got to the people in charge.   
“Calm down, Stevie. We both know that she will be mine in due time. Isn’t that why I don’t see a mark on that beautiful neck of hers? You’re just not sure about her,” Rumlow taunted and got to running when he saw the murderous glare on Steve’s face.   
Steve set on to chase him, just like a few of his men, but when they all got back empty-handed in a few minutes, you knew he must have slipped away.   
You tried to look as unbothered as you could, trying to fight the urge to let the men’s words have any kind of effect on you, but you couldn’t help it. While you knew Steve was all about consent, and that he genuinely seemed to care about what you want and giving you the opportunity to take everything as slowly as you needed, there was the nagging voice in your head asking you whether it wasn’t something more than that. That you were just not good enough for Steve.

Your hand instinctively covered the empty space on your neck, and because Steve was watching you like a hawk since he saw Rumlow, this little movement didn’t escape his attention.   
You were still in the elevator with a bunch of other people, but the second you stepped out, Steve dragged you to the first broom closet and shut the door behind you.   
“Don’t you, for a second, think that what he said was true. I want you more than anything, Y/N. I want you to be my Omega. Hell, you are my Omega, and I can’t wait to put a mark on your neck. He’s just trying to get to your head, that’s all,” Steve whispered sweetly and caressed your cheek, and you couldn’t help it but lean into his touch.   
“I’m just worried, sometimes, that I’m not good enough for you. And that there is this man who voices all my fears and it just... struck me, that’s all,” you sighed, but Steve couldn’t see you sad. Not because of such an idiot as Brock Rumlow.   
“Look at me, Omega. I love you, do you hear me? I would die for you in a blink of an eye. I want you to carry my pups, I want you to be by my side the rest of my life. I want you, Y/N. And just because we’re taking our time doesn’t mean we care for each other any less. But, I mean, say the word and my fangs will be in your neck the very next second,” Steve smirked at you making you laugh, and he knew the crisis had been diverted.   
He’d still kill Rumlow, but not before he did you right.


	21. Wasted Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve realises that waiting so long might not have been the best of his ideas, and decides to do something with it. Much to your surprise as well as pleasure.

Steve had been thinking about what you said for a long time after the business part of the trip was over, and even the next few days back in the mansion. He knew he shouldn’t let somebody like Rumlow get into his head, but the deed had been done, and the only thing Steve could do by now was to make sure both he and you knew that the reason why he hadn’t marked you yet was simply chivalrous and nothing else.  
There was no doubt in Steve’s mind that you were the one for him, and even he was surprised how long he had lasted in your presence without as much as creaming his pants more than on that one occasion during your last heat. You were sexy, you were smart, you fit perfectly into his life, and while Steve told himself that it was the right thing to do to wait, there had been some doubts about that lately.   
Especially when he saw just how happy both Bucky and Sam were with their Omegas. The trust was there as much as there was between Steve and you, as well as the love. So, logically, Steve started to doubt this prolonged period of courtship actually did you two any god.   
But now was not the time to doubt the decisions of the past. What’s done was done, and all Steve could do now was act differently in the future, and bear in mind the reasoning he was able to do whenever you were at least 5 meters away. Because if you were any closer, Steve’s brain ceased to function and all he saw was you, and the only thing his screwed up brain could do was to come up with new cute nicknames for you, or a way to show you his affection. Steve was so sweet he was actually making himself feel sick. And he thought he wasn’t the romantic kind of guy… Right.   
Steve wanted to act, but he wanted to do better than just pushing you against the nearest wall and taking you there and then. No, you deserved better, especially since it would be your first time. So, Steve wanted to come up with an elaborate plan on making you feel special and ending the date by taking you and making you his mate in the eyes of everybody else. Because, as far as Steve was concerned, you had been his Omega since the first time he scented you. Now, he just had to make it official.   
—-

You got to your room afternoon one day only to find a neatly folded piece of paper on top of your bed. It took you just one sniff to realise that Steve had been in your room earlier and he was most probably the person leaving behind a note.   
Opening it, you felt your cheeks heating up as you read through the few lines scribbled by the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.   
_I’ll pick you up at 7. Wear the new dress in your closet, please. Can’t wait,  
Steve_

You had to laugh at the please at the end of the sentence as if he was worried you’d take the little command the wrong way. Little did he know that the longer you spend with him, the more you wanted him to take over, grab that control which was clearly his and do whatever he pleased. Sure, his politeness won your heart, but it wouldn’t win the heart of the one particular organ that craved him. Nope. He would have to be full Alpha to get the praise from down there, there was no doubt about that in your mind.  
Still, you were excited about the night. You had no idea what Steve planned, and from the mysterious tone of the letter, you assumed that was the way he wanted it. Sure, you could probably saunter to his room and bluntly ask him about the date, and he’d probably tell you straight away, but you wanted to be surprised.   
You and Steve hadn’t had a proper date since you moved into the mansion. Sure, there were some dinners and late-night talks, but nothing like you’ve always imagined. You weren’t that much into the romantic stuff with expensive restaurants and diamonds and stuff, but you knew you could use a night out with your man.   
Taking your time you got ready, not forgetting about shaving everything and everywhere, just in case Steve finally changed his mind about claiming you, or if you wouldn’t be able to take the longing anymore and finally took matters into your own hands. Whichever came first would be good, really.   
You applied a thin layer of make-up, being fully aware that Steve preferred you natural and still looking like you rather than you having the coat of mascara so thick he couldn’t even see your beautiful eyes. 

Looking into your closet, you found a neatly folded navy-blue dress that was perfect for your body, which you knew the second you put them on. This was another of those moments that you would be able to swoon over Steve’s attentiveness, since he knew your size and fit so well he could easily go shopping on his own and buy you the perfect articles.   
You twirled in front of the mirror and giggled like a schoolgirl seeing yourself in the reflection. Yup, tonight would be a good night, you thought after you took a mental note of how easily would the dress be thrown from your body, considering it had one simple zipper at the back.   
You checked your watches and realised that it was nearly seven, so you took a last glance in the mirror before you heard a light knock on your door.   
Punctual as ever, you thought and went to open the door for Steve.   
And there he was. Looking as good as ever in a light blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves and black pants, his longer hair styled so that it didn’t stick to his face. He looked marvellous, and you were once again reminded of how lucky you really had been this whole time. This was your Alpha, and the Omega in you purred at the sight of him.   
Steve obviously thought the same about you as his pupils widened the second he caught a glimpse of you in the open door. His breath hitched in his throat, and he had to will his mind to start working again, or else he’d pounce on you right there, without a care in the world. 

“You look incredible, Omega,” Steve whispered, as if too afraid you’d vanish into thin air if he spoke any louder.   
“So do you, Alpha,” you purred back, and Steve’s chest puffed out even more than before, hearing his Omega praise him like that. It was obvious this man had a praise kink, something you also learned in Meera’s book, and you intended to use it entirely when the time came.   
“Shall we?” Steve asked and offered you his arm, which you gladly took, and he led the two of you down the stairs and to the back yard.   
“Where are we going, Steve?” You asked a little worriedly since you thought you two would be going out somewhere. Especially since he made you wear a lovely new dress and all.   
“It’s a surprise,” he winked down on you and led you towards the little forest at the very back of the property. You two talked a little bit about your days, but the anticipation you were feeling wouldn’t let you lead a meaningful conversation just yet.   
You had been walking for almost 15 minutes, and you were this close to demanding to know where the hell you two were going, when you saw a bunch of little lights on the forest floor, encircling a picnic blanket with a basket on top of it.   
Turning on your feet, you looked at Steve, who was awaiting any kind of reaction from you, to see if you thought he did well or not. And from the broad smile on your lips, he knew he scored that one.   
“Steve! This is wonderful,” you shrieked, unable to contain your emotions any longer. Steve was just glad he nailed it and laughed when he saw the excitement on your face. He didn’t let you unwind your arm from his and led you to the blanket.   
“I know it’s not much, but I thought this would be better and more comfortable for both of us than some fancy restaurant with prying eyes all over the place. But if you liked that we could-“   
“Shhh. I don’t wanna hear any of this. I love it, Steve, really. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more romantic than this little picnic you made for us. So, thank you,” you finished, and to prove your point you moved on the blanket so that your hip was joined with Steve’s, and you kissed him softly on the mouth.   
“Alright, alright. I’ll tell my mind to shut up if you kiss me again,” Steve smirked, and you uttered a soft “smug asshole” before you complied and kissed him.   
—-

The night was amazing. You and Steve shared so many laughs over the dinner, you actually had to stop him from talking any more before you stomach exploded from all that laughing. He was a teddybear the whole night, showing you just how much he appreciated you and all your sides, and how well you two fit together.   
“So, you wanna tell me you were actually smaller than Bucky back in the day? I thought you were born this way, baby,” you winked at him playfully, and he shoved you with his shoulder in the same manner.   
“I kid you not! I was this scrawny kid, all limbs and stuff, and my parents were actually worried I’d present as an Omega! But then, when I was 15, I suddenly grew so much and gained so much weight there was no doubt in any anybody’s mind about what I’d become that very summer,” Steve concluded, and you still shook your head, unable to imagine Steve as anything other than an Alpha.   
The conversation ran smoothly even when the two of you picked up the things Steve so carefully placed in the little forest, and as you walked back towards the building. There also grew this sense of trepidation inside you.   
You wanted Steve, that much was clear to you, and as much as you wanted to shove him against the nearest tree, you knew you needed him to make the first move. You needed him to be the Alpha you knew he was with others, and just show you who you belonged to. That way, in your eyes, he deserved to put a mark on your neck, which you would then show off proudly.   
But you didn’t know how to achieve that, since the whole evening, Steve was somehow keeping his distance.   
When you reached your room, and he wanted to bid you goodbye, you sighed inwardly and stood on your tiptoes to kiss him goodnight. You expected a simple touch of your lips before you pulled away, but Steve’s arms snaked around your hips, and he didn’t let you go.  
He deepened the kiss easily since you gasped in shock, feeling his strong arms around your waist. His moves were smooth and delicate at first, but the longer you stood there entwined in each other, the more desperate it all became. 

You could feel Steve still holding back, and you decided to change that. Your hands shot up to his hair, and you pulled at the roots pretty harshly, but not harshly enough to hurt him. And you got exactly the reaction you were looking for. Steve growled into your mouth, and his embrace became almost vice-like as he backed the two of you against the nearest wall.   
“If we keep going, I won’t be able to stop, Y/N,” Steve whispered into your ear, and you all but threw yourself at him again.   
“I want it. I want this more than anything, Steve. Please, take me,” you pretty much moaned, and that was the moment Steve snapped.   
You didn’t have time to protest when he crouched and pulled you over his shoulder to carry you to his much more spacious room across the hall.   
There he laid you on his bed as gently as he could in his state of mind, and thanked the God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit for guiding him when he was picking up the dress. The zipper was a blessing in disguise, Steve realised as he pulled it down and threw the dress somewhere across the room.   
He remembered your body all too well from the first heat, the first time he saw you naked. But the times had changed because while then he had to keep to himself and he had to fight his own brain trying to keep his word and not really touching you, this time he could do everything he ever imagined. 

Steve couldn’t even remember how an Omega felt around him, and he couldn’t wait to rediscover that feeling.   
He took his time in mapping your body covered only by your underwear, and while you tried to squirm away from his prying eyes, Steve didn’t let you. You were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he needed to make sure you knew that by the end of the night.   
“Don’t hide away from me, Omega. Imma devour this sweet body till you appreciate it as much as I do,” Steve half-groaned half-growled before his mouth connected with your neck and he sucked a very prominent hickey on your pulse point. You didn’t know what to do with your hands and so them do what they wanted, which, to nobody’s surprise, was to fly up to Steve’s shoulders and press your fingertips into his back.   
Steve continued his assault but went lower and lower until he reached the hem of your bra, where he stopped and looked at you through those thick lashes of his as if asking for permission.   
“Steve, I want you so fucking much. Please, please, do whatever you want with me. I trust you,” you added, and Steve fell for you all over again.   
He unclasped the bra expertly and threw it somewhere for it to join your dress, and he not-so-carefully took one of your hard nipples into his hungry mouth. It was a sensation you never knew before, and so every single touch, every single breath was new to you. But Steve guided you through it masterfully.   
His hands were glued to your hips, and his own rutted against the mattress, trying to relieve the pressure in his tight pants.   
When you tried to move your own hands so that you were touching him where he obviously needed most, he stopped you swiftly.   
“Nah, baby. Even though I loved what you did to me last time, this time? This time is all about you. And I’m far from being done with preparing you, my little flower,” he purred against your lips, and when you tried to kiss him, he just tsked at you and continued with his sweet torture of your nipples. 

While before his hands were glued to your hips, this time, he let them wander closer to the centre, and let them play with the hem of your panties. They were utterly drenched by now, and you would have been ashamed if it weren’t for the great pleasure you were experiencing just by him sucking on your little buds.   
“Alpha,” you moaned as you bucked your hips to urge Steve to move his hands a little lower. And he complied without as much as uttering a sound.   
You suddenly loved very different parts of Steve than before. While you loved his big heart and that beautiful eyes of his, now you were completely enamoured with his hands and mouth, for a very particular reason. It felt as if though he was a magician, pulling on an invisible string on your body to make it sing for him.   
And when his fingers finally reached your heat, oh boy, did you sing. The sounds leaving your mouth were unknown to you, and for a brief moment, you even though there was somebody else in the room who was making them because there was no way in hell your voice sounded like that.   
But it was true. Steve was able to persuade your body to do what it was born to do. To get pleasure and to give pleasure back. And with this thought in your brain, you slowly reached for his boxer briefs, and while he played with the little bundle of nerves, you tried to let your body guide you in giving the same amount of pleasure to your Alpha.   
His hips bucked when you touched him for the first time, but he was too busy with you to be able to stop your movements. And you took the hint and started to play with him how you liked it while feeling Steve’s fingers probe at your entrance.

His mouth stopped sucking for a little bit, and you knew that if you looked down at your breast, your nipple would be more erect than ever. It was sore even when you felt the air hit the bud, let alone the thought of anybody touching it any time soon.   
However, Steve’s mouth wasn’t empty for long. He was full Alpha, and you were his prey now as he skilfully extracted your hands from his briefs and as he slid down the sheets so that he was kneeling between your legs. You were curious as to what he was about to do, but no sound left your mouth.   
That was until Steve dived into your heat head first, ripping your panties in half before he discarded them God knew where and his wet tongue licked a strip from your entrance to your clit. The high-pitched shriek which escaped your mouth was more than enough for Steve to know he was doing something good, and when he actually started eating you out, you could have sworn you saw heaven at that very moment.   
Sure, the book said that if done right, experiencing oral could be an almost divine moment, but you never knew it could have felt like this. Steve was keeping you open for himself with both hands as his tongue often changed its moves: from licking to sucking, and right back to licking. There was a pressure in your lower abdomen, and you knew exactly what was coming. The only difference was that when you masturbated, the pressure wasn’t so significant, and you knew when and what to expect. Now, with Steve, everything was new, and the pleasure you were feeling was unlike anything you had experienced before. 

Steve could feel you were getting close by the more intense contractions of your walls around his tongue, and he added two fingers just to apply pressure on your sweet point. He found it in literally two nudges when he saw you arching your back and clutching the sheets between your fingers, and there was no way of stopping him now.   
He went for the prize and was sure gonna get it with the speed and intensity with which he was using all his assets. His fingers were lodged deep inside you, curled so that he was right on your G-spot, while his tongue was pressed against your clit, and only flicking it ever so slightly, the pressure never leaving. And that was your first undoing.   
You screamed his name and trashed in his arms, but he wasn’t willing to let you go. He guided you through it until he felt satisfied with the result.  
When he finally let go, you let out a breath you didn’t even know you were holding, and your body fell back on the bed as you tried to regain at least some form of composure.   
“Fucking hell, sweetheart. That was the hottest thing I’ve seen so far! Can’t wait to be inside you!” Steve growled into your ear before he kissed you, and the feeling of tasting yourself on his tongue added to the arousal pooling between your legs once again. You thought you couldn’t go again, but the body of an Omega was a wonder, and you would never doubt it again.   
“Take me, Alpha,” you moaned, and Steve ripped the rest of his clothes from his body and stood in front of you naked. Sure, you did get a good look the last time you were with him in his office, but his body was still a wonder of nature, and you were sure about to tell him.   
“God, you’re so fucking hot, Alpha. I’m one lucky Omega, I’ll tell you that,” you smirked as you tried to gather your strength to get to the position you read the Alphas liked the most. On your hands and knees.   
Steve saw what you were doing, and his cock actually jumped up, seeing you turning from him and seeing that sweet ass of yours. And when you shook it as if taunting him to come closer, which was a challenge he gladly took. 

Steve couldn’t waste any more time, not after hearing you praise him like that and seeing you waiting for his knot, and so he smacked your ass lightly making you gasp and arch your back, which was exactly the reaction he hoped he would get, and he was ready.   
He took himself in his hand and pumped himself in the fist a few times before he let your heat embrace him. He was still thoughtful of you, even when all he wanted to do was ram it into you like a madman. When he felt his balls hitting your clit, he ceased his movement and waiting till he felt your channel relaxing so that he could pull away and push back again.   
“You ok?” He asked breathily, concentrating on everything else but the velvety feeling around his shaft, and the way his knot was already kind of inflating.   
“Yeah, you’re so big Alpha, I love it,” you purred, and Steve’s sanity was gone. His fingers dug into your hips as he pounded into you, almost entirely out, fully in and back out again. He knew he wouldn’t last long, not after the long-ass wait you both undertook in order to let your relationship flourish. But that was no more, and Steve would put his seed deep inside you and would do so until you were heavy with his pups.   
This thought drove him even deeper inside you, and he snaked his arm around your hips so that he could bring you closer to your second orgasm as soon as possible.   
“Alpha, fuck! Yes! Oh!” Were the only things coming out of your mouth, and Steve was pretty sure these were the sounds he’d never forget, nor did he ever want to forget either.   
“Come for me, Omega. Cream all around my cock, baby,” Steve urged you, and it only took Steve another few good-measured thrusts to make you come again, this time actually creaming around him just like he wanted.

That was it for Steve, seeing his cock covered in your white creamy cum as he groaned loudly, and let his knot do its thing, while he intended to do his.   
Just as his knot popped and his seed covered your insides, his teeth barred and he bit your neck with all he had. He could feel blood on his tongue, but he didn’t care as you trashed in ecstasy underneath him, the marking drawing another orgasm out of your tired body.   
Steve was completely drained when he was finished and almost fell on top of you, wasn’t it for his strong arms holding him from crushing you.   
He needed to wait for his knot to go down, and so he grabbed your spent body and turned it so that he was spooning you from behind.   
“How are you feeling, Omega? Did I hurt you?” Steve asked, finally getting his old sense back, worrying that he could have been a little too harsh with you.   
You just scoffed and turned your head, looking him deep in the eyes.   
“I’ve never felt better, Alpha. I feel complete. I love you,” you whispered affectionately, and Steve pulled you even closer, even though it wasn’t humanly possible, and claimed your lips in a sweet and short kiss.   
“I love you, Y/N. And good, good. Just so you know, you won’t leave the bed any time soon, ‘Mega,” he suggested with a wink, and you let out a breathy laugh.   
“Not planning to, Alpha. Not in my wildest dreams,” you added, and Steve thanked his lucky star for bringing him to you. Because you were truly his blessing.


	22. Stop and Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up and realise what have happened. And the realisation dawns on other people as well.

You felt a weird, dull throb in your neck, and your first instinct was to raise your hand and push it against the rigged edges of a scar that was there. Your brain was too far gone into the sleep for it to realise that it was a good thing that the scar was there, and you sat up with a start.   
Something stirred beside you, and your body went immediately into override. It was only when you felt a warm palm on the back of your neck and the soothing effect it had on you that you willed your body to calm down and just take in everything happening around you.   
The hand on your skin was obviously Steve’s that much your brain knew. And you went from there. The scar on your neck was the result of last night, it dawned on you suddenly, and before your eyes, you could see images from the night before. All the sweat, the tangled sheets, the tangled limbs, and the tingling sensation all over your body as Steve took you over and over again till neither of you could move.   
“Does it hurt, baby?” Steve murmured, sleep still all too clear in his voice. The huskiness of it sent shivers down your spine, and you had to bite your lip to stop yourself from moaning just hearing his sexy sleepy voice.   
“No, not really. I just forgot what happened here for a second, that’s all,” you admitted and laid down back against Steve’s chest. The comment evidently caught his attention because as soon as your back hit the mattress, Steve rolled on top of you and kissed you with fervour.   
“I mean, if you don’t remember, I can think of a way or two to remind you, Omega,” he growled, and you opened up your legs to let him in. You knew there was no way of fighting him, not when he got a taste last night. There was also the fact that you wouldn’t want to stop him ever again. The feeling of him so close to you was too enticing for you to ever go another day without it.   
—-

It took the two of you a good few hours to be able to get out of the bed and face the world. Not that Steve didn’t protest against it, knowing he couldn’t be buried in you to the hilt while other people surrounded you, but after a lot of coaxing, you made him see that the world needed the two of you to face reality.   
Steve’s phone had been ringing almost constantly the whole morning, and while he successfully ignored it, you knew that if it weren’t for the fear in everybody’s hearts, somebody would have knocked on your door already.   
You could almost see the cringe on Bucky’s face as he was sent to your room and smelling all the mating pheromones leaving the bedroom, he probably decided that it would have been like playing with fire if he disturbed Steve again.   
And when you finally descended the stairs, you could see the relief washing over Sam and Bucky’s faces as they were obviously discussing who would be the one having their dicks cut off by their best friend for coming between him and his Omega.   
“Good morning, everybody,” Steve hollered, and you piped in your greetings after him, letting him lead you towards the kitchen where his target laid. He needed to take care of his Omega, and the first step to do that was to feed you. Sure, you could use something in your growling stomach, but Steve was almost like a man with a mission, the serious expression set on his face as he rummaged through the cupboards to get what he came for.   
And when he turned around with a triumphant look and a loaf of bread in his hand, you had to chuckle.   
“Good job, Alpha. Like a good caveman, you got me something to eat,” you said through a smile and Steve only playfully rolled his eyes at you, still preparing you your food.   
When he was satisfied with the contents of your plate, he brought it to where you were sitting and pushed the plate pretty much right under your nose. You looked up and saw that he was awaiting some reaction, and you only then realised how important this was for him.

You were his precious Omega, the person he looked for his whole life and the one he, according to all the books and myths, needed to take care of. He should be your provider, the one person giving you all you needed, and while you both knew that such notions were a little outdated, this was something much more primal than what he read somewhere. It was in his DNA, and it was his inner Alpha that needed to do all that.   
So you stood up carefully while Steve’s eyes were trained on you, and stood on your tiptoes to kiss his cheek with the utmost appreciation.   
“Thank you, Alpha. The food looks delicious, I can’t wait to eat it. I hope you’ll be eating with me, though,” you voice your own concern, and Steve hurriedly prepared the same for himself so that the two of you could finally delve into it.   
What you didn’t see was the two figures standing in the entrance to the kitchen, watching the two of you with playful smiles and tiny sparkles playing in their eyes.   
Sam nudged Bucky in the ribs when he saw just how big were Steve’s doe eyes whenever he took a peek at you, and Bucky had to stifle a laugh seeing the scene unfold in front of him. Not that their best friend couldn’t be friendly and nice, but neither of them had ever seen him so attentive and so smitten by one single person.   
Sure, when Steve started dating Peggy, all the two of them could do was some fucking and laughing, but Steve never really looked at her the way he was looking at you. It was a look full of devotion and love, something they both recognised all too well since they could only imagine it was the same look they both wore whenever their own Omegas were around them.   
And they were ecstatic that Steve found it as well. However, there was still a sliver of fear in their hearts. You were the most precious thing for Steve now, and while it was beautiful, it was something that could have been used against the two of you pretty quickly, if any of Steve’s enemies found out about it. And being mated only played to the wrong cards. Steve, or any other Alpha, would have gone mad if their Omega was taken from them. But they couldn’t mention it to Steve, he was too happy now, the happiest they’d ever seen him to ruin his mood with their own conspiracy theories.

“What are you two looking at?” Steve mumbled into his plate, and if it weren’t for Sam and Bucky actually keeping their ears open the whole time, they would have missed it. They both moved from the door and still smiling sat down by your side.   
“Nothing, nothing, Cap,” Sam smiled, and Steve groaned hearing his old nickname. Captain. Not that he wasn’t the one in charge and all, but it still felt weird for anyone to mention it, especially in front of you.   
“Cap, huh? I like that, he does look like a captain, doesn’t he?” You teased and sent Steve a playful wink which he reciprocated with a groan.   
The rest of the morning was spent in between childish banter between the boys and Steve while you were watching them and Steve pulling you to the nearest broom closet to have a good sniff of your neck.   
“I don’t think I’ll ever get anything done, Omega. You smell too damn good,” Steve nibbled on your pulse point and relished in the feeling of your and his scents swirling in the air and creating a dizzying mix of aphrodisiac for him. And, from the way, your pupils were blown out every time he was near you, and the way your heart always got a little faster Steve knew you were feeling the same exact thing as he was. And it only spurred him on.   
“Not that it wouldn’t be tempting to stay in bed forever, but we both know there are one too many responsibilities we have to take on. Besides, I think it will be more fun if we miss each other a little bit, don’t you think?” You tried to reason, but it was useless. Steve was like a needy little puppy at that moment, and you were pretty sure he didn’t even hear you. All he could do was to scent you, and his Alpha brain didn’t let him think about anything else. And they said Omegas had mushy brains when they mated… sure, you scoffed in your head but let your man do whatever he needed to calm his nerves.   
“I miss you all the time,” he mumbled eventually, and when you looked at him, he was sporting a pout better than any Oscar-winning actor. You laughed out loud and kissed his pouty lips to try and erase it from his beautiful face. Which wasn’t difficult, considering this was his plan all along and all he wanted was to get you to kiss him. Steve was now a happy puppy, and the whole world was grateful for it, that was for sure.   
—-

“Are you sure it worked?” The voice on the other side of the line growled in impatience. It had taken much longer than anybody anticipated to get their plan moving, and both parties were growing a little restless. To say the least.   
“Sweetheart, of course, I’m sure it worked. Trust me, I planted the seed carefully when I met them, and I bet he marked her already. I mean, I would if I had the chance, but, to be honest, your plan was much better than mine,” he smirked when he heard the scoff on the line. He knew all too well he needed to compliment her because she needed to be the best of the best in everything, all the time.

“Fine, but we need to move fast. I mean, sure, they can bond a little more so that the plan can work better, but I think we should strike in the next few weeks. All you have to do is to make yourself visible and lure him out of the mansion, and the rest will be dealt with,” she chuckled darkly, and he knew that if she wasn’t on his side, a cold shiver would have run down his spine. He might have been an Alpha, but that didn’t mean that this female Alpha didn’t put the fear of God in him. He needed to move fast and precisely the way she proposed in order to get her off his back. More importantly, he wanted to see Steve on his knees, and now he had all he needed to get him exactly where he wanted him.


	23. Might Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumlow makes the first step in obtaining what he wants. But things might not go according to his plans. Not if Steve has anything to say to it

Warmth surrounded you, and you felt as if you entered heaven. You weren’t sure why, but you felt safe and sated, but also horny at the same time. There was a weird heat coming from your core, something you were too used to waking up to. Not that you weren’t aroused every single time Steve passed you, but this felt different.   
Your sleepy brain was still too far away to be able to grasp everything that was happening, and so you had to rely on your senses. Your eyes remained closed because you didn’t feel pending danger around you. So, you perked up your ears and tried to hear what was going on. And the only sound int he room was a quiet slurping which was always followed by sparks erupting in your pussy.   
You could feel your clit throbbing, and you couldn’t stop the wanton moan leaving your lips when you felt even more pressure added on your bundle of nerves. Now, you couldn’t help yourself but open your eyes, only to be greeted by the sight for the ages.   
Steve was feasting on your pussy like a starved man, too absorbed in action to notice you had woken up. It was only when you stirred, and your legs quivered that his eyes darted from your centre to your face, and when he saw the state he put you in, he smirked and went back to work.   
What followed could only be called an eruption. Steve’s motions were so fast you didn’t even know where he began, and you finished because, at that moment, you became one. Your back arched off of the bed, and you no longer hid your moans and groans which were only spurring Steve on. It didn’t take long for you to see stars, coming on Steve’s tongue with his name on yours. When he was sure you gave him everything you had, he slowly kissed your legs from your thigh to your knee before he ascended to kiss your still open mouth.   
You breathed him in and moaned at the taste of yourself on his tongue. Your own hand tried to wander down his sweatpants, but he stopped you with a tsk.   
“Not now, my love. We’ll be late for the meeting in the city, remember? I just wanted to wake you up a little differently today,” he winked at you and gave you one last kiss before he scurried away from the room, as you both heard Sam calling his name.   
Your head fell back into the pillows, and you giggled like a little girl. Your life was perfect, which was something you never thought you could say. You had to remember to return the favour though, and you already couldn’t wait to do it.   
—-

The ride to the city was filled with laughter, as you and Steve discussed the book you both read to have one more thing to share. When Steve came with the idea, you could see he was extra careful not to sound too sappy, but you assured him you loved the idea. Reading, in general, was something you enjoyed immensely, and so the notion of the two of you reading the same thing and later discussing it seemed perfect to you.   
You picked a rather forgotten and underappreciated book by a Scottish author Michel Faber, The Book of Strange New Things. It was older, but right up, your ally. You both finished it the night before, and so you could now really delve into it.   
“I mean, I would never go on such a mission without you,” Steve concluded, and you laid your hand on his thigh in a loving manner, stroking his leg.  
“Neither would I. I mean, sure, it’s chivalrous and all that, but I do think Peter is kinda selfish, don’t you? If we were galaxies away, and you’d write to me that you weren’t feeling good, I’d rush to you, no matter what anybody said,” you reassured him, and Steve quickly pecked your lips before his eyes concentrated on the deserted road again.   
“Good, good. I’m just glad we’ll never have to go through anything like that. I’d fight anyone who’d even suggested us separating,” Steve growled under his breath, and you chuckled at how easily he got worked up over a theoretical separation of the two of you.   
Then, an idea stroke you. You looked out of the window to check how long it’d take to get to the city, and when you saw you had at least another 40 minutes ahead of you, you went with your gut.

Your hand, which was still on Steve’s thigh travelled a little higher until it reached the zipper of his jeans. You could feel Steve’s body tensing under your touch, but when you checked on him, he was staring out of the window and let you to your own devices. Which you were immensely thankful for.   
Undoing the zipper was something you got particularly good at, and so it took you only a few seconds before you were tugging on the waistband of his black boxers. Steve caught on what you wanted to do, and wordlessly lifted his hips so that you could pull the underwear down and have direct access to your prize.   
His cock was already half-hard, and you were giddy already, thinking about his weight on your tongue. You didn’t waste any more time before you slowly bent towards his hips and kissed his naked abdomen before you greedily took him in your mouth.   
Ever since your mating, you trained this one motion over and over because you wanted to bring pleasure to your Alpha the way he did to you, and while he assured you over and over again that you didn’t have to do it for him, you knew better. Besides, it wasn’t only for him. You grew to love it as well, having all the power and seeing your strong Alpha putty in your hands and on your tongue.   
There was no time to waste, and so you took a deep breath in and sunk your head on this spear until you felt the tip hit your throat and you repeated the action. Steve’s right hand left the wheel, and it got entwined in your hair, guiding you carefully on his dick.   
“You’re so good at this, Omega. I don’t know how I got so lucky,” Steve hissed as you sucked harshly on his swollen tip. You knew he was aroused from early morning and that it wouldn’t take long for his knot to pop in your mouth. You sped up your movements, your right hand massaging his balls to help speed things up, and sure enough, you could feel Steve’s knot inflating in your mouth in mere seconds.

He came with a grunt, and you were pretty sure that if it were any stronger, your mouth would overflow with his cum. You swallowed every last drop of it though, and when you were sure he was done, you licked him clean and hid him back in his pants. Steve helped you properly dress him up again, and when he looked as if he didn’t just blow his load down your throat, he grabbed your hand and kissed the backside.   
“I love you, Omega, and I can’t wait to be home so that I can show you just how much I fucking love you,” Steve smiled, and you kissed his stubby cheek.   
“Language, cap,” you smirked, and he growled at the old nickname of his, and you both soon erupted in a fit of laughter. Yup, this must have been what heaven looked like. You were pretty damn sure of it.   
—-

The building was buzzing with people. You were now getting into a meeting to discuss cheap housing for the less fortunate, and you had everything prepared to persuade everybody in the room that it would be better to tear down the old and unstable houses and use the material from them rather than obtaining new material elsewhere. The planet was still fragile, and you were trying your best to try and keep it from crumbling once again. You knew Steve was on your side, and you could have let him present the ideas to the board, but he let you do it, telling you he trusted you and your business talent completely. Which was a spirit-lifter, if you were being honest, having somebody as powerful in this world as Steve trust in you.   
“I’m just gonna take a quick detour to the bathroom, and then we can start,” you smiled up at Steve and tried to walk past him when his hand flew to yours.   
“Take somebody with you, like Peter. Just to be sure,” he tried, but you just shook your head and pecked his lips.   
“Steve, stop being paranoid, I’m just going to the bathroom. I don’t think anybody is so stupid as to try and hurt me of all people, knowing your wrath would have been deadly,” you smirked and sauntered away as Steve sighed, not too happy that you were so adamant on going everywhere alone. He knew you were independent, you didn’t have to prove anything to him nor to anybody else, and Steve just wanted you to be safe because he could never forgive himself if anything happened to you because of him.   
You walked down the hall and replayed all the arguments you had prepared in the week before the meeting, so you didn’t pay much attention to your surroundings. Which would have been smart, probably, since there was a dark figure in the far corner of the hall, waiting to get you alone.

Grabbing the handle of the bathroom door, you wanted to pull when you felt a hand on your shoulder, and when you turned around, you were met with a person Steve warned you about. The man smiled wickedly at you and tried to cover your hand and grab you around your waist, but you didn’t waste any time in trying to defend yourself.   
Steve was smart enough to teach you a few things over the months you two were together, and while you thought you’d freeze in such situation, the moment right there proved you wrong. You had so much to fight for you weren’t ready to just give up and let the man take you away from the man of your dreams.   
You ducked as his hands flew to your mouth, missing you thanks to your quick movement, and before he knew what was happening, you punched him as hard as you could into his groin, eliciting a painful scream from his lips.   
This was your moment, and you knew you couldn’t just stand there and wait for his to get one the blinding pain in his dick.   
“Steve!” You yelled as loud as you could and started running.  
“Wait, you little bitch. You’re mine,” Rumlow hissed behind you and set off to follow you. Unfortunately for him, your shrill alerted the whole room, and Steve was the first one to emerge from behind the glass door.

The bewilderment on his face was evident as he ran towards you, scanning your body for any kind of an injury he would have to attend. When he didn’t see anything serious, he let your arms snake around his torso, and his scoured the hall, not seeing anybody behind you that would be trying to hurt you.   
“What is it? What happened?” He asked hurriedly, still not sure what made you so scared that your heart was threatening to jump out of your now sweaty chest.   
“He was here, Steve. The man, Rumlow, or what is his name. He tried to grab me, Steve, but I did everything you taught me and got away. I don’t know where he went, but I swear to everything that is holy, he was here,” you sobbed, your system now shutting down, feeling it was safe with your Alpha by your side.   
Steve didn’t question the story because he knew you could never make something like that up. What worried him was that Rumlow got into the building unseen and got away just like that, as if he vanished into thin air, which was more than disturbing.

“Peter, Gamora, secure the building. I don’t care how long it’s gonna take, but I want every single person accounted for and see if the fucker is still here. Bucky, you go through the security cameras so that we can see what he was wearing, how he got in, and everything else. Now,” Steve’s angry and anxious voice boomed off of the walls, and the whole group of people surrounding you scurried away, ready to do whatever it took to make sure their Alpha and his Omega were alright.   
When you were alone, Steve lifted your chin to scan your face, and when he was sure your tears were dry again, he bent down and claimed your lips with his. It was an action supposed to calm down not only you but Steve as well, since the bond made him feel all the fear you were feeling, and he was all too close to a panic attack on his own.   
He could deal with the world ending, with somebody trying to kill him, and other stuff like that, but this? This was his biggest fear. That somebody would take you away under his watch, hurt you, and he would be to blame.


	24. Training Grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is occupied with catching Rumlow, and you are left to create a very unlikely friendship. And some people are not that happy about it.

Steve was tense, and that was the least you could say. Ever since the incident in the hallway, Steve was running around like a madman, trying to make sure that there was no other way for Rumlow, or anybody else for that matter, to snatch you away from him. You tried to calm him down, you really did, but your every touch seemed to have made everything even worse.   
You knew it wasn’t anything personal that Steve couldn’t stand your touch, he even apologised for it one evening, but he told you that the electricity between you two every time you touched always sparked a new fear in his heart, and he had to make sure you were safe and sound. This had gone on for about a week. A week of dreamless nights for you because Steve would only come to bed for the shortest amount of time necessary for his system not to break down before he jumped up again and picked up where he left off the night before.   
You missed him, that much was clear to anybody seeing your slouched shoulders every time Steve walked past you, speaking to somebody on his phone, not giving you even as little as a reassuring smile. But you understood. He was scared, and he was trying to be a good Alpha. The only issue was that you were scared as well. But you attempted to remain tough for him, tried to be the rock he so obviously needed to keep him grounded and keep him from going completely nuts. But every time there was a loud noise in the kitchen, you jumped and had to smother a shriek threatening to rip out of your lungs. And every time somebody was too close for comfort, your body stiffened, and you could remain somehow calm only thanks to some breathing exercises.

Still, every time Steve asked if you needed anything or if you were ok, you just nodded and put on a brave face. You weren’t about to be the stereotype everyone thought you were. Omegas were supposed to be the always scared ones, the ones that needed protection against the whole world, who weren’t able to take a step without the guidance of their Alphas. And you were sick of it. Sure, you weren’t as physically strong as the Alphas in the house, that much was true. But you were strong in your own way. You didn’t break down when you were faced with the struggles of daily life in the Circle. You didn’t break down when you were fighting the vitamin insufficiency in the very beginning of your stay here, and you weren’t about to break down just because some asshole thought you were supposed to be his.   
No. You were a strong person who could take on anything they wanted. Of course, you felt safer with Steve by your side, but, at the same time, you knew you fought off Rumlow on your own. You could have frozen, and he could have taken you wherever he wanted without Steve noticing. But you fought and screamed, and you got out of it. And you were damn proud of yourself for it. The only thing that worried you ever so slightly was that while Steve gave you some classes in self-defence, you didn’t know everything, and while you escaped this time, next time you might not have enough moves in your sleeve to do it again. So, you needed to start training to be able to take care of yourself if, for some reason, Steve weren’t around.   
—-

The first few days you sneaked out of your shared room with Steve to get to the gym in time when everybody else was busy doing their jobs, and you could have the place all for yourself. It was furnished and equipped better than any gym you’d ever seen, with punching bags hung in front of one long wall, treadmills, dumbbells and other stuff you didn’t even know the names of all over the place.   
At first, you were a little uneasy as to where to start. You loved your yoga and the occasional run, but that was useless to you now. You needed to build strength in other parts of your body, especially in your arms since you thought that was the most crucial part when it came to one on one combat.   
You tried to do a series with the dumbbells and whatnot, but you got tired soon and the motivation you had evaporated from your system like steam. You were ready to give it up for a day and just go and lay down for a bit before you decided what the real plan was here, when you heard the sliding door to the gym open and close, and when you turned around, you were faced with Steve’s best friend- Bucky.   
“Hey, Y/N. Whatcha doing here?” He scrunched his brows and looked around as if searching for somebody that was there with you, or your yoga mat. Or really anything else that would indicate what you were doing there in that unlikely hour.   
“Oh, I just came down here to have some quiet workout session, but I’m all done now, so you can have it all for yourself,” you added as you picked up your water-bottle and strode towards the exit.

“Really? You didn’t even break a sweat, and you don’t have your mat with you,” Bucky hollered at you, and you stopped in your tracks.   
“So? I can’t work out like you guys do? That’s preposterous,” you exclaimed, a little ashamed for causing this scene while he was ultimately right.   
“C’mon, you know I don’t mean it this way. It’s just that I never saw you here working out, and you look like you haven’t even given it a good run. What’s really going on, huh? If you want to work out with us Alphas, you’re more than welcomed to join. I bet Steve wouldn’t mind that much,” he thought out loud and after a second, released a breathy chuckle as he imagined the same thing you did. Steve’s enthusiasm upon seeing you surrounded by a bunch of sweaty Alphas.   
“Yeah, I bet he’d be ecstatic. It’s nothing, really. I just thought I could use some real workout, but Steve is so worried about me that he wouldn’t let me touch any equipment here, especially not because I want to be able to defend myself. You know him, he wants to be my defender and protector, and all that. But I just want to be sure that if anything ever happened, I would be able to protect not only myself but also those I care about, you know?” You muttered, scratching yourself on the neck, little worried that Bucky would turn on his heel and go tatter on you to Steve.   
But, to your surprise, he nodded thoughtfully and pulled off his sweatshirt.   
“Alright, makes sense. How about this, I’ll show you what these things here can do so that you can use it alone when we’re all dealing with other stuff, and we can meet here and train you a little to be sure you feel 100% safe, huh?” He offered, and it brought tears to your eyes. You still couldn’t muster that people were this nice to you, especially people you never really spoke to that much beside in meetings or during occasional meals. But here he was, offering you his help just because he saw you needed some.   
“Thank you, it means more to me than I can express,” you whispered, and he just shook his head with a shy smile on his lips as he didn’t know what to say to such exclamation.   
“Just,” you continued, “do you think it could stay between us? I don’t want Steve to feel left out, but I don’t want to bother him at the same time. He’s got enough on his plate as is, and I don’t want him to feel responsible for this as well,” you admitted, and Bucky just nodded, understanding that his best friend could be the sufferer of the year, feeling like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.   
And so you got to work.

—-  
The little rendezvouses went on for several weeks, with you feeling more and more comfortable with your skills after every session, and even Bucky praising you for the success you’ve had with the punching bag and even punching him a few times.   
You knew Bucky told Meera where he was, and she was all for you to train with her Alpha because she was worried about your safety almost as much as Steve, and she understood that you needed to do this on your own, without your Alpha breathing down your neck, however protective he thought he was being.   
What you didn’t notice, however, was that Steve started acting a little differently. He saw you disappearing int he middle of the day, and when he went looking for you, and couldn’t find neither you nor Bucky, he got suspicious. He didn’t want to raise any alarm, but the little red light in his head went off, feeding all his insecurities and fears to the point where he could no longer think clearly.   
It was Bucky who actually saw that Steve was overacting one day after he got almost to a fistfight with one of the other Alphas in the house over a faulty paper. It was nothing serious, definitely not serious enough for Steve to cause a scene over it, yet, here they were.   
“Calm down, punk. What’s gotten into you?” Bucky asked when he got the poor Alpha out of Steve’s sight.   
And that was Steve’s undoing. He punched Bucky square in the stomach, resulting in Buck to bent in the middle which gave Steve the opportunity to tackle him to the ground. Bucky, however, was on the of the best fighters on the planet, and wouldn’t go down without a fight, even if it was his best friend and Alpha who he had to take down.   
The room was filled with growls and snarls which attracted the attention to many occupants of the house, and when you saw the large gathering in front of Steve’s office and heard the noises coming from the inside, you pushed your way through the crowd and watched the situation unfold in front of your eyes.   
“I know what you’re doing with my Omega! I thought you were my best friend. What about your own Omega, huh? Why the fuck are you doing this to me when you know how much she means to me?” Steve asked in between the punches, his voice breaking with every single sentence, and your heart breaking with them as well.   
“Everybody? Out! Nothing to see here!” You yelled to the crowd, and there was nobody stupid enough to fight you, so they all dispersed immediately and went on with their days as if nothing happened.

“You two! Stop this nonsense, now!” You screamed when you were sure nobody was eavesdropping behind the now-closed doors.   
The Alphas stopped but kept eyeing each other warily. You never wanted for anything like this to happen, especially between the two of them, and you felt incredibly guilty. Bucky was taking a breath to start speaking and explaining when he realised why Steve was so pissed, but you pleaded with your eyes to let it to you.   
Steve saw the interaction and thought of it as another proof to his flawed theory, but before he could take another swing at Bucky, you stood in front of him, with your hands on his torso.   
“Stop it, Alpha. It’s not what you think, and if you let me explain, I promise I’ll tell you everything. Just, please, calm down,” you pleaded with him, and the urgency in your voice made the Alpha in him take a few calming breaths before he pushed you away ever so slightly, still unsure he wanted you to hold him like that.   
It stung like hell, but you understood, and you cursed your own decision to keep it away from him. You just now saw that he was broken over the conspiracy theory he created in his head, and you wanted to plead for forgiveness, but first, you had to start the explaining.   
“There is nothing going on between Bucky and me, I promise, Steve. It’s true that we met up behind your back, but Meera knew all about it, and it was for a very different reason than you think,” you started, and Steve looked between you and Bucky, who obviously nodded behind your back, and made Steve look back into your truthful eyes.   
“I’m so sorry, Alpha, I never meant to hurt you, and I thought this was the way to do it, but now I see I was wrong. After what happened with Rumlow, I got scared. And I saw how scared you were that something might have happened to me, and how hard you worked to make sure such a thing wouldn’t occur again, and I wanted to help a little bit. So, I went down to the gym to exercise a little, to make sure I knew how to protect myself, or you, or anybody I cared for, if push came to shove. And Bucky came in, and started helping me with my punches and kicks and stuff, just making sure I would be able to fight as well as I could,” you finished and took a gulp of breath, trying to search Steve’s eyes to see if he believed you.   
His brows were furrowed, and his whole posture stiff ever since the mention of Rumlow’s name.   
“But you shouldn’t have to-“ he started, but you jumped into it.

“No, Steve, I should. I should be able to protect myself more than with one move you taught me early on because this world is shitty and there obviously too many people trying to gain something by hurting innocent people around them. And I trust you with my life, I do, but I need to be sure I’m able to act if I or anybody else ever was in such situation ever again. I need to be able to protect myself without my Alphas help. I love you so much, Steve, so much it actually hurts me sometimes because I’m worried somebody will hurt you and I won’t be able to do anything about it. So this? This is also to protect you if I ever had to. Because I would, in a heartbeat,” you admitted, and your voice broke at the end, just thinking about somebody hurting your Alpha.   
There was silence after your admission, Steve deep in his thoughts as well as you, while Bucky was standing there and just hoping his best buddy would get it through his head that his Omega was most definitely not cheating on him, and would let him go to see his own soulmate.   
“Sorry, Buck,” Steve sighed and nodded towards Bucky, who just cracked a smile and with a wave left the room for the two of you to discuss the things further.   
Steve waited till the lock clicked and then focused his eyes on you, letting the silence fill the both of you.   
“I really didn’t mean no harm, Steve. I just didn’t want you to have more trouble because your Omega is useless and can’t even defend herself properly,” you muttered, and Steve took a step closer to you, unable to keep his anger inside him any longer when there was obviously no need for it.   
“Shh, Omega. I just wish you came to me and spoke to me about your fears. I guess that’s what hurts the most, that you don’t trust me enough to come to me with anything,” he sighed as he caressed your cheek, but you caught his hand and made him look at you again.

“Don’t! Don’t do this to yourself. I trust you, and I love you, and that’s why I thought it would be better to keep this one little thing to myself. Because I know you’d do anything in your power to protect me and to show me I’m loved, while also protecting the rest of the world. And I didn’t want you to have another thing to worry about, that’s all. So, please, don’t you think I don’t trust you, Alpha,” you pleaded, keeping your gaze on Steve’s stormy eyes.   
“I’m just worried I’m not enough,” he said so quietly that if you two weren’t so close, you wouldn’t have a chance to hear him.   
You stood on your tiptoes and kissed first his cheek, then his brows, his nose, and ended up at his mouth, kissing all his fears and anxieties away, proving to him that no matter what his mind was telling him, it couldn’t be further from the truth.   
“You’re everything and more, Steve. You are caring and loving, funny, intelligent, handsome man, and I’m the luckiest person on Earth to be mated to you, forever. I’m yours, and I’m proud to be yours, so whenever your mind tells you otherwise, come to me, and I’ll show you the reality because that will never change. Ever.”   
Steve searched your face, but he knew he wouldn’t find anything more than love and support on your beautiful face. He knew he was home, and he needed to make sure that you’d stayed by his side.   
“Alright, beautiful. We’ll start training together so that I can make sure you’ve been taught properly. Buck’s good, but I’m better,” he smirked, and you had to laugh at this boyish competition between the two of them.   
“Anything you say, Alpha. But first, let’s train something else,” you winked and pulled him to your chest so that you could kiss him the way you craved ever since you heard him growl oh-so-manly. You weren’t even ashamed that something like that turned you on as you shamelessly swiped the papers off the table and sat down, pulling Steve with you.


	25. That Time of the Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and you let go of some steam, before Steve starts preparing you for what’s coming and what you had completely forgotten existed: Yule.

“Anything you say, Alpha. But first, let’s train something else,” you winked and pulled him to your chest so that you could kiss him the way you craved ever since you heard him growl oh-so-manly. You weren’t even ashamed that something like that turned you on as you shamelessly swiped the papers off the table and sat down, pulling Steve with you.  
Steve’s eyes widened a little bit before he caught on what you wanted to do, and he grasped your hips, pulling them ever so close to his clothed member, which was already ecstatic that it would get some action. It had been too long since you two got down to it, all with the stress around Rumlow and your almost-kidnapping that Steve didn’t have time to think about such basic things as eating properly or taking care of his Omega the way she craved.   
But all that was about to change, and you were about to show Steve just how much you needed him.   
Steve’s hands were all over your body, groping, pulling, tearing into your clothes just to get some skin-on-skin action. He needed it just as much as you did, if not more. Your own hands were unstoppable as well, as you reached under his tight black t-shirt and scrapped along the ridged lines of his abs, making him hiss as his eyes darkened, so his irises were almost invisible. 

“Easy, Omega,” Steve growled as he felt your hands travel further down and grabbing his crotch; you bat your eyelashes at him innocently, although both of you knew there was nothing innocent about you anymore. Steve ruined you for everybody else, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.   
“Or what, Alpha? I need you, so. damn. much!” You accentuated each of the words with a slight snarl of your own, and it only spurred Steve on. He loved that it was the need for him that did this to you. You craved him with every single pore of your body, and because he finally pulled his head out of his ass, he was there to satisfy your every need.   
“I need you too, baby. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you, and I promise I’ll be better, I’ll do better,” he said in between kisses as he trailed them down from your lips to your bared neck to the juncture between your shoulder and neck where his mark shined like a light from a lighthouse, guiding him to where he was safe and loved.   
He kissed the mark, which in effect made your arch your back, your body seeking his warmth, and more of what he was offering to you. You were already so sensitive all over your body, and the furthest his hands got was your waist. But it wasn’t enough, you needed more.   
You jumped off the table, your lips still attached to his as you shed your shirt and tried to pull down your jeans when Steve’s calloused fingers stopped you.   
“Let me,” he whispered against your lips and went down on his knees, kissing every inch as he pulled down your jeans gently. He left the one place you where you needed him the most, and when you were about to protest against the lack of attention your core got from him, he smiled wickedly up at you and threw the jeans somewhere behind him with one hand while the other pushed your body flat on the table. 

You gasped, and as you tried to find your balance, your legs spread open, which gave Steve the opportunity to put his face right against your panties. He inhaled loudly, which would have made you blush were you not crazy with need.   
He didn’t waste any more time as he tore the piece of cotton from your body and dived head-first into your heat. The wanton moans leaving your mouth didn’t even sound like your own, but you didn’t care at that moment.   
Steve was snarling as he ate you out, too long without the sweet taste of your pussy for his system to do it calmly. His Omega needed him, and it was in his nature as an Alpha to provide for you. And oh boy, was he happy to provide what you needed then and there.   
Your orgasm was fast and unexpected as you convulsed around his tongue in your weeping hole. Steve growled as he slurped the juices before he stood up and shed his own clothes, his eyes still locked on your pussy as he revelled in the view. The smell in the room was all animalistic pheromones and sex, and Steve was drunk on it.   
“Mine,” he growled into the air, and you shuddered from the intensity of his stare. You were about to repay the pleasantries, but he was on you before you could get up on your elbows.   
“Don’t you dare move,” Steve whispered harshly into your ear, and you whimpered pathetically, that’s how horny you were. If he asked you to jump on one leg on a burning wire, you would have done it. That’s how desperate you were. You needed his knot, and he needed to put it in you. That much was clear.   
Steve manhandled you so that you had your back to him, and your hips were crushed against the edge of the table. He spread your legs with his own, spanking your ass in the process, and you wiggled it to get some more. 

“Fuck, I missed you, baby,” he said in a moment of clarity, which was soon gone as you felt his tip protruding in your hole, covering himself in your slick before he pushed into you in one go. The lack of action left your pussy unprepared, and you yelped as he bottomed out inside you. He was kind enough to wait a while before he felt your walls pulsating around him, and he knew he was fine to move again.   
And then all hell broke loose. He pounded into you with snarls and moans of his own, which was probably the hottest thing you’ve ever heard. You tried to match his pace, but he wouldn’t let you. His hands were on your ass, pushing and moving you exactly the way he needed for both of you to come. It didn’t take long, and you felt the familiar wave of heat spreading from your toes to your gut, and as Steve pushed into you with a groan and you felt his knot inflating, you let go.   
You saw white dots in front of your eyes, that’s how intense your orgasm was, and from the intensity of Steve’s grip on your skin, you knew his climax was just as strong. You felt the warm liquid fill your womb, and Steve made a few shallow pumps just to see you shudder underneath him.   
“You alright?” Steve asked when he was sure his voice was his own again.   
“Mmph,” you hummed, unable to create a sentence that would make sense, too blissed out to even care at that point.   
“I love you, Omega, you know that, right? I’m sorry you couldn’t come to me about the fighting, and I’m sorry I didn’t take care of your other needs either,” he apologised sincerely, and you had to fight the fogginess in your brain in order to answer him.   
“Stop it. You were worried, and you thought this was the best way. It’s ok, I love you too, Alpha. Just, next time we have some problem, whatever it might be, you have to let me in, because otherwise, I won’t be able to help you,” you muttered, surprised that you actually made at least some sense and you felt the remnants of stress evaporating from Steve’s body as he curled against your back and kissed your mark again.   
“Will do, ma’am,” he husked and pulled you flush against his chest so that he could lay the both of you on the floor until his knot deflated again. You needed the peace and quiet to get your minds right and to enjoy the closeness of your soulmate.   
—-

Bucky eyed his best friend a little suspiciously as you two came down from the office to the common room where some other Alphas and Betas were lounging.   
“We good?” Bucky asked, and Steve chuckled and let go of your hand so that he could hug his buddy.   
“I was an ass, sorry,” he smirked at him, and Bucky just shook his head and rolled his eyes, but you both could see that the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. Steve knew he would have to get in the ring with Bucky and have his ass beat before Bucky “forgave” him completely, but it was all good now. All good.   
“We all ready for next week?” Steve asked, and you strained your ears, not too sure what was coming next week.   
“Oh yeah,” Bucky answered, “we’ve picked the tree, and Sam and I got even some for our own houses so that our Omegas would feel the Yule-time atmosphere at home as well. Other than that, I made sure Peter will decorate the garden accordingly, and we picked only wooden decorations so that we don’t accumulate too much waste. Sam is in charge of food, of course, so you’ll have to ask him, but I think he’s got everything under control as well,” Bucky finished, and by the time he did, you felt your mouth hanging wide open.   
What were they talking about? There was a memory pushing on your brain, but you were too distracted and confused to let it immerse you.   
“What is next week?” You asked incredulously, and the whole room grew quiet as they all looked at you as if you fell from Mars.   
“What do you mean, Y/N? Next week is Yule, of course,” Gamora quipped, and you scrunched your brows, the wheels in your head whirling but not coming with adequate answers to all the questions swirling in your head.   
And then a memory hit you.

_Your mother told you there used to be snow during this time of year, but you didn’t remember much of it. Still, you were as excited as a little girl. You couldn’t have been more than 12 years old at that time, and Yule was by far your favourite season of the year.  
The gifts weren’t much, but that wasn’t important, and fortunately, it wasn’t what Yule was about. Your mother told you stories about the time before the war and the virus, many people celebrated Christmas, which was a Christian holiday. So when shit hit the fan and people weren’t that keen to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it became clear that the Christian holiday should become something more basic, more connected to the nature people were so adamant on saving. And, so Yule was re-born.   
The majority of things were the same, the only difference was that people appreciated nature, took care of wild animals by bringing them fruits and other food as well as birdseed, decorating the outside as well as the inside, especially in earthy tones, and burning a specifically chosen log that is then burnt with the family or a community.   
And it was your favourite time, because even your father was calm during the time, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the closeness of his family.   
Your mother would always sew your a new dress or a new skirt for Yule in earthy tones as well as some warm socks, and you couldn’t have been happier. The laughing was always loud, and you even got to try eggnog, although only during Yule. _

You snapped back to reality with Steve right in front of your eyes, and the closeness of another person startled you a little.   
“Are you alright, Y/N? You zoned out a bit,” he said as he stroked your cheek, and you willed your body to calm down so that you didn’t seem like a meek lamb.   
“I just… I forgot that there was something like Yule out there in the world. Back in the Circle, we didn’t get to celebrate anything, and I kinda forgot that this was a tradition,” you murmured, slightly ashamed that such a thing evaporated from your mind.   
Steve and Bucky exchanged long looks before Steve took your hand and led you outside. You could see the internal battle in his mind, where he tried to be there for you but was also so pissed at the Circle that he could have easily just jumped out of his skin and when on a murder spree.   
“I’m so sorry, Omega, I didn’t even realise that they didn’t let you celebrate this either,” Steve sighed, and you put on a brave face because it was useless to reminisce about things past. You wanted to enjoy this holiday with Steve by your side, not thinking about all the Yules you could have spent with your family had they not sold you…  
“Don’t, Alpha. Let’s not talk about all that. Let’s just enjoy the festivities together, our first Yule together with you and your family, and we can erase all my past with this,” you smiled brightly at him, and your smile was contagious enough for Steve to smile in a short time as well.   
“But,” you said when he was calm again, and his eyes shot up to his brows in expectation, “I will need to make some gifts to all of you!! Oh my God, Steve, that’s SO. MANY. GIFTS.” You screeched and ran out of the porch and inside to your workroom, where you had hidden enough fabric to sew something for the whole city if needed. Well, there ain’t no rest for the wicked, or what they say, and there wouldn’t be much sleep for you either.   
—-

Steve was pacing outside your room, knocking on the door every 2 minutes, but no sound other than the rhythmic tap tap tap from your sewing machine could be heard. It had been days since Steve actually saw you, other than when you came to bed all exhausted and sore from sitting by the machine the whole day. He hated it with his entire being and tried to tell you that you didn’t have to give them anything, that it wasn’t about that, but you wouldn’t let him finish his thought. You insisted that this was a good idea and that you needed to do this, both for the people you now called friends in the house and yourself.   
“Omega, I swear to everything that is holy, I will burst through that door and carry you out willingly or not,” he yelled to the wood standing between him and his love before it opened and the door revealed your figure, your lips in a thin line, your arms crossed on your chest.   
“Steven Grant Rogers! Do you know that I would have had it finished a lot sooner if it wasn’t for your constant nagging? Lucky for you, I’m all done now so you can stop being a little baby and calm down a little,” you huffed out as you stepped outside the room and walked by Steve, whose eyes were fixed on you, still a little unsure if you were actually mad at him or if it was just the exhaustion talking. 

“And, before you ask, I’m fine. A little tired and a little sore, sure, but I’m extremely proud of myself for pulling that off, and I think people will be very pleased as well. And now, my favourite cookies,” you yelled as you ran downstairs, where you knew Sam would be since you agreed on meeting in the kitchen around noon the day before Yule celebrations.   
Steve was left gaping after you, looking around himself to see if anybody else witnessed what he just did. He loved your enthusiasm, but he had no idea what you were so excited about and what kind of cookies you were talking about. So, he followed you to find you standing in the middle of the kitchen, patting Sam on the shoulder with appreciation as you delved into one of the shelves to dig out a large bowl where you planned on mixing and whisking all the good stuff.   
“Uhm, anybody wants to tell me what the hell are we talking about here?” Steve asked incredulously, and Sam and you shared a knowing look before you turned back to face Steve, and you both huffed at his confused face. 

“Yule cookies, Steve, it’s a tradition, remember? All the gingerbread, Linz cookies, and all the other good shit, man! We never really made it here, but now with all our Omegas around, we thought it would be a good tradition to refresh,” Sam explained slowly as if he was talking to a little child, and Steve’s face reddened a little. You could see that you weren’t the only one who forgot something about the festivities, and you smile softly at your Alpha, walking towards him to circle your arms around his torso.   
“We are a great duo: I forgot that Yule existed, and you forgot about some traditions. Can’t wait till we have pups so that we can forget to tell them about most of the stuff together,” you laughed lightly, but when you didn’t feel him laughing with you, you looked up to see his eyes wide, looking down on you.   
“What? I mean, I didn’t mean that we’ll have pups right now, or anything like that I just meant-“you stuttered, trying to redeem yourself, but Steve wasn’t afraid as you thought. Oh no, he was ecstatic to hear you talking about pups. That was what he wanted all along, and to hear you say that it was on your mind as well made him giddy.   
He leaned down to capture your lips with his, conveying all the emotion he was feeling with the one simple gesture.  
“You have no idea what you’re doing to me, ‘Mega. I can’t wait to see you full with my pups so that everybody knows who you belong to,” he growled with arousal, and Sam coughed awkwardly behind you to let you two know he was still there.   
You shot him an apologetic smile and wiggled yourself out of Steve’s arms with a wink and blew him an air kiss, jumping to Sam’s side so that the two of you could get to baking. Steve laughed at it and left you to it, knowing you were in good hands. When he was leaving, he could see Meera and Tina heading towards the kitchen, and Steve thanked whoever was listening that it was Sam and not him who was about to spend the whole afternoon baking with three giddy Omegas.   
—-

The next morning was spent with the whole family: all three couples were together, as well as some other people from the house, especially Peter and Gamora who was making jokes and told you stories about Yule in her village a long time ago. You listened with fascination as you walked through the forest, not forgetting to check the decorations Bucky prepared, which were mostly made of birdseed in the forms of stars on the majority of the trees. It looked like a winter wonderland, and you kept forgetting this was real and that you weren’t just imagining this in your cell back in the circle.  
While, for the most part, you were sure Steve and all that was real, sometimes occasions like this one left you in slight doubt. How could your life have taken such a massive turn? A year ago, you weren’t even allowed to think about the Yule time, while now, here you were. In the middle of the forest with people you loved, people you weren’t afraid to call family because you knew that this was what family meant. You had each other’s backs in everything, and you didn’t judge each other, no matter what kind of pasts people had.   
Your eyes started to water, and you had to halt in your steps to regain your composure. Steve was by your side in a second, searching your face and trying to determine what caused the tears in your eyes. 

“It’s just.. I’m so happy, Steve, so damn happy, you can’t even imagine. I love you so much,” you breathed out and grabbed the back of his neck to pull him down to you so you could kiss him. He didn’t mind one bit, and he let you control the intensity of the kiss. It was short and sweet, and Steve had a smile on his lips the whole time.   
“I’m happy you’re happy, doll. I intend to make you happy for the rest of your life, I promise,” he rested his forehead against yours, and you let the atmosphere surround you and immerse you in the peace and quiet. The rest of the group was already too far for you to hear them, and so it was just you and your Alpha, breathing in each other, thanking the universe for bringing you together.   
“C’mon, let’s get inside, we can finish the wrapping of the gifts, and then we can all sit down to eat the lunch slash dinner so that we can get to the festivities and drinking sooner,” Steve quipped, and you laughed at his playful tone, slipping your hand in his and striding back towards the house.   
The rest of the afternoon was spent in laughter, drinking wine and eggnog, eating delicious food, and exchanging light stories. When it was time for presents, you handed each member a hand-wrapped gift which they took with thanks on their lips and tore into it, all of them finding a sweatshirt in a colour that would suit them the best, which meant that Bucky got a deep blue one, Meera a beautiful yellow one, Sam and Tine got matching green, and Gamora and Peter got matching purple ones.   
Steve got a beautiful one in his favourite red, and he kissed you passionately as thanks. But it wasn’t the only thing you were about to give him. The main gift for Steve came into existence thanks to Bucky, actually. Before you even knew that Yule was coming, and you were training with the dark-haired Alpha, you told him that you’d like to do something nice for Steve, something he could carry with him at all times and that would make him think of you. Bucky was delighted that you asked him to help, and he promised to do his best.   
Which he did, without a doubt. After a little bit of brainstorming between the two of you, you agreed on a design and on the thing, and you were all too happy to give it to him during this festive time. 

You gave him a sheepish smile and handed him the small box, Steve’s eyes full of questions as he tore into the paper box.   
His eyes widened so much you were actually afraid they might fall out when he saw the content of the package.   
It was a silver chain with a little pendant of a silver circle with the word forever engraved on it.   
“It symbolises you and me, a full circle of your lives that led us to be together, your saving me and our life as one unit from now on forever,” you explained quietly as Steve held the necklet in his hand, admiring the meticulous work.   
His eyes teared up, and he looked up at you before he fished out a box matching the one you had just given him, and your eyes widened a little as well. You didn’t waste any time as you looked inside, and it had a necklace of its own too, but yours wasn’t a circle, it was an infinity symbol, with the word forever on it as well.   
“Well, aren’t you two just perfect for each other?” Sam laughed along with the whole room, and you both just smiled at them before you took the necklaces in your hands and put them on your necks.   
“Now we will both always carry a reminder of each other with us,” Steve smiled when he clasped the chain around his neck and helped you with yours.   
“I love you, Omega,” he whispered as he kissed the crown of your head.   
“I love you too, Alpha,” you whispered back, and you two turned to watch the others, happy to just be in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to wish you all Merry Christmas and thank you for your consistent praise and care for this story, I really appreciate every single one of you here!! Thank you and enjoy the holiday!


	26. Hurricane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work takes Steve out of the house, and when he comes back, nothing is as he left it.

“For the last time, Steve, no, I cannot come with you,” you groaned, only half annoyed at the sweet man you got to call your Alpha. He had been staring at you with puppy eyes for the last twenty minutes, trying to make you come with him to the city to handle some business. And it wasn’t that you weren’t interested in the said business, namely at the state of security against all other natural disasters that might have been coming. Of course you were, but there were other things you needed to handle at the mansion, and Steve knew that all too well.   
“I know, ‘Mega, but I thought if you could reschedule then-“   
“Let me stop you right there, babe. You know that I promised Bruce to see him today, and honestly, if you wanted to be here or wanted me there with you, you should have checked the calendar where I clearly marked the appointment,” you said not unkindly and raised your brow at the big Alpha in front of you, looking more like a lovable puppy than a scary wolf. You chuckled for yourself thinking how people were actually afraid of Steve a lot of the time when all you could see was this sweet man willing to do anything to spend more time with you.   
“I know, I know. I just thought I could sway you, but my Omega is a tough and stubborn woman, just the way I like it,” Steve turned the conversation, and this time, you chuckled out loud. You knew he still tried to get you to go with him and thought it was pretty sweet of him, but there was no way you were missing the meeting with Bruce, where the two of you wanted to talk about the possible ways of removing the devices lodged between your tissue and veins in your arm.   
“Nice try, Steve, but I think we both know what’s gonna happen next. You are gonna get that cute ass to your car and go to the city, and I’ll wait here for Bruce. But-“you smiled sweetly, batting your eyelashes for your Alpha to catch the meaning of what was gonna happen later before you even said it out loud -“maybe later you can try some persuasive methods on me.”  
Steve grinned with a devil playing in his eyes, imagining all the ways he would have you when he came back. Steve was insatiable when it came to you, and he wasn’t talking solely about sex. Sure, that was great, and he couldn’t even fathom the idea of ever coming near another woman, but there was also the closeness of your souls that gripped him hard and would never let him go. Every time you looked at him, he felt like it was the first time and his heart hammered against his chest. He knew that there was nothing anyone could do or say to separate you because you two were just meant to be. The bond between you grew every second, and Steve felt it in his bones- the happiness, the joyous prospect of future, everything. And it filled him with hope. 

The only thing standing between that dream-like future and the two of you was the little device in your system. He wanted it gone more than he wanted Rumlow dead, and that spoke volumes. But Steve knew it had to be done in due time, and done meticulously so that you wouldn’t get hurt in the process. Because Steve could fight an apocalypse, he could kill all those fuckers trying to degrade the world’s stability as it was, he could do it all. But what he couldn’t and wouldn’t do was to survive in a world of which you weren’t a part.   
Steve was gazing at you with all these mixing emotions, and while you couldn’t read it all, you knew there was love filled with anxiety in him.   
You smiled softly at him and pecked his lips to bring him back to you, back to your shared room where he belonged. You kinda regretted not having enough time to bring him back fully and, preferably, between the sheets, but you knew that the world wouldn’t stop spinning just because you two were utterly enamoured and lost in each other. However, you made a mental note to soothe Steve’s anxieties about your safety when he returned from the city.   
“I love you, Steve,” you murmured against his lips and could feel them turning upwards at your declaration.   
“I love you too, Y/N,” he whispered back and kissed you one last time before he feigned annoyance that you actually made him go to the city alone, but exited the room with the prospect of later fun-times on his mind.   
—-

Bruce was on time as usual, and as he came in, Peter Quill did the regular check up on anybody entering, even though you told him that Bruce was fine and safe.   
“I know, but the boss said to be really thorough, and I’m not feeling like going against him. Y/N. Steve would so have my ass for it, and I kinda like my ass as is,” he smirked at you, and you just laughed at him.   
“Yeah, it’s a cute ass, Peter, happy you’re protecting it from my man, and I’m quite sure Gamora is happy as well,” you smirked at him, and you could see him blush, which only made you laugh harder at him.   
Bruce was grinning from the corner of the room, and when Peter felt like he did all possible things, he let you and Bruce go to the office to talk privately.   
“If you need me, you know where to find me, Y/N,” Peter hollered, and you just nodded, leading Bruce upstairs.   
When the door was closed behind you, you offered him to sit down which he happily took, and you two just chatted for a few minutes, catching up as you haven’t seen each other for a few weeks, at least. The Beta’s life was full of extremes, as he was either hidden behind what seemed like a hundred of walls, trying to create a vaccine for various diseases or a weapon for Steve and his people to use against uninvited guests, or he was running around the world, saving people with his skills and seven PhDs.   
“How have you been feeling?” He asked after a while, clearly motioning towards your arm and you outstretched it for him to examine it.   
“Good, actually. Ever since we bonded with Steve, it had been less itchy, so I think you were right that it reacted to the hormonal change when I left the Circle and kinda stabilised as my whole system got used to the new surrounding and Steve. If I didn’t know I had it in me, I wouldn’t even have noticed it, to be quite frank.”  
“That’s good, actually. Because if the device were transmitting some signal you probably would have felt it, expect the GPS clearly installed in it. But, to be honest, I tried to get the frequency on which it operates, and I couldn’t find anything, so it is very well possible that it was more for the confines of the Circle and its immediate surroundings, and once Steve brought you out of there, they lost your signal,” Bruce smiled at you, and the information made you elated. Not that you were afraid somebody was watching you, because Steve and his people were doing daily check-ups of the property to be sure no uninvited guest got in.   
But you also knew that thanks to Steve’s status, many people actually knew where he lived and if somebody really tried, they would get to you two even without a weird microchip in your body. 

“I’ve tried to find ways to dismantle the chip, and I think I found one viable option, but I’m not sure if you are up for it,” Bruce scratched the back of his neck, clearly nervous about the prospect of his own findings. But you were determined and wanted the thing out, preferably in a way that wouldn’t kill you immediately.   
“I’m all ears, doctor,” you smirked at him, trying to make him feel less anxious about whatever he had in mind. Not that you weren’t starting to feel the nerves creeping up on you, but you were determined not to let it show and made Bruce even more uncomfortable than he already was.   
“Well, I will obviously keep searching, that goes without question. But, from what I gathered so far, I can tell there is one very likely scenario that should rid you of the chip. It isn’t the safest thing in the world, however, and, if it didn’t go as planned, you could even die,” he murmured the last part, and the breath hitched in your throat. Still, you nodded to signal you were ready to hear more about the plan.   
“There is a very likely possibility that if you were to receive an electric shock, the device would entangle itself from your body thanks to that and it would then be a very easy surgery to take it out. But, a shock might actually stop your heart, and there is always a chance that the heart won’t restart,” Bruce concluded, and you took a deep breath.   
It wasn’t the safest option in the world, but you were pretty sure it was your only chance. Bruce had been looking into the issue for months now, and if this was the only thing he came up with to that moment, you knew there was a minimal chance he would figure out something else and less dangerous. But you also knew that you needed it. You needed the thing out of your body, to feel complete control over your life, without the threat of somebody storming in and threatening your life looming over your head.   
“Steve’s not gonna like it,” Bruce sighed as he saw the determined look on your face, and you rolled your eyes at him.   
“Well, tough luck. I’m not jumping up and down at the prospect of possibly having my heart stopped, but what else can I do, Bruce? Wait here, always hidden behind the thick walls of this mansion and be afraid that one day somebody might want to hurt me, and all they have to do is come close and push a button? I don’t fucking think so. Steve is gonna be mad as hell, but he will see this is the only option for us to live the life we both want,” you reasoned, and Bruce nodded in understanding. But you knew it wasn’t Bruce who you needed to persuade this was the right plan. Nope, the man you had to have a long conversation with was miles away from you, and you were suddenly not as excited for him to come home because you could just imagine the scene he would make hearing the news Bruce brought with him.   
“You are just the right person for him, do you realise that? I’ve known Steve for ages, and while he had always been a great man, he missed something. More like his soul missed something, and when he told me he found a mate, I was actually quite worried that he found somebody who would use his good heart and sour it in the process. But by God, you are strong and intelligent, and you know how to keep his head cool enough for him to think because we both know that sometimes he just likes to act in the spur of the moment which is not always the best tactics,” Bruce smiled, and you mirrored his expression.   
It was heartwarming to hear somebody so close to your Alpha heart say all these things because you were sometimes worried you weren’t enough for the chivalrous man you got to call yours. So, Bruce’s words melted all your worries in this regard, and you could feel them floating away. There was a moment of silence filled with mutual understanding before you heard it.   
—-

There was a loud crash downstairs which sounded too much like a door blowing up, and Bruce looked at you with the fear of God written all over his face. You could only imagine how frightened your own face looked, but you didn’t have time to think about that. There was a moment in your mind where you thought about what you wanted to do. There wasn’t a chance for you to jump out of the window because it was pretty high up, and neither could you just walk out of the room as if nothing was happening.   
You heard gunshot and screams, and your heart clenched in your chest. You weren’t sure if it were your people or the intruder, but you still knew this was bad. Like… really REALLY bad.   
“Where is she?” You heard a strange voice boom from the hall, and your first reaction was to cover in your chair. Not that you hadn’t figured it out that those people were there for you. It didn’t even matter if they were from the Circle or some of Steve’s enemies; there were too many people who might have wanted you hurt or worse just to get to Steve.   
Bruce puffed out his chest and stood in front of the door, but you pushed him aside.   
“Have you lost your mind, Bruce? You are way too valuable to be standing here without a weapon for those guys to kill you,” you sneered at him, but Bruce managed to get his hand out of your grasp and looked you deep in the eyes. 

“And you aren’t, Y/N? We have no idea who these people are, but they are no good new, I can tell you that much. You need to live more than I do.”   
“That’s bullshit, and you know that. I deserve to live, and you don’t, and why is that, huh? Because I’m somebody’s Omega? That’s now hot this works, Bruce. We are both equally valuable, and we both deserve to live because we are all just people, at the end of the day. So, for fuck’s sake, come and hide with me,” you pleaded, and while Bruce wasn’t too happy at the prospect of hiding somewhere, he knew there weren’t that many options for him.  
You looked around the small room you and Steve called the office and saw that there wasn’t that much of hiding space there, in fact. If you were in your bedroom, that would have been a different story, but as it was, there were pretty much just two places to hide. Either under the massive table in the right corner of the room, or under the sofa opposite to it. It would have been a tight fit, but you were pretty confident you could hide there and wait the whole situation out. If you were lucky enough for them not to find you there, of course.   
You motioned for Bruce to hide under the table and you crawled under the sofa, and just as your whole body fit under the plush couch, you could hear the door opening. Your heart was hammering so loud you weren’t even sure you’d hear their footsteps if they came closer, but as they made their way through the room, you knew you were wrong. You heard them loud and clear, and with each step, you were more and more sure that you weren’t getting out of there in peace. There were two of them, and from the testosterone-like smell that emitted from them, you were quite sure they were Alphas. They wouldn’t even break a sweat “fighting” one Beta and an Omega.   
Your thoughts were proven right as soon as somebody lifted the couch as if it weighed nothing, and you shrieked from the sudden movement. You wanted to fight, wanted to use all that Steve and Bucky taught you, but just as you were getting your fists ready, somebody pulled Bruce from under the table by his hair, holding a knife under his chin. You gasped loudly, your hands unconsciously flying to your mouth as you watched somebody you considered your friend to be treated this way.   
“So, little one, I would suggest you listen to us, and no more blood will be shed, what do you say? Do you want to spare one life? Will you go willingly?” The man grinned, and as you finally looked at him, you could see it was a face you’ve seen before.

  
_Rumlow_

You couldn’t even be shocked at that very moment. IT occurred to you as one of the possibilities, and now, standing face to face with him, you realised just how insane this man was. He burst into your house pretty much the second Steve went away, he threatened to kill an innocent person, and now he was giving you a choice to go with him or watch Bruce die and then go with him. There was no choice at all.   
Your fists fell to your sides, and you bowed your head, letting the man grab you by your right wrist and pull you to his chest. His scent was sickening, and you felt a nauseating feeling fly through your body. He was nothing like Steve, and it suddenly occurred to you that you might never see your Alpha again. The thought sent shivers down your spine, but you still held your head as high as possible and tried not to show the man in front of you another weakness.   
“I’ll go, just please, don’t hurt him,” you whispered, and you weren’t sure if Rumlow even heard you, but then you saw his soldier dragging Bruce to the next room. Bruce was trying to fight him, screaming that this wasn’t a good idea and that they should just turn around and leave you alone. Still, the soldier just chuckled darkly and locked Bruce in the room, preventing him from getting back where the fight was, and ridding him of the opportunity to get hurt because of you.  
Good, at least that way Bruce was safe, you thought, and Rumlow started dragging you out of there.   
You were looking around and felt like vomiting. The whole place was shattered; the doors broken from the hinges, windows broken with shattered glass lying everywhere and blood, so much blood you knew there had to be at least two if not more people gravely injured.   
And when you descended the stairs, you saw you were right, and a shriek escaped your lips. There were three bodies near the front door, and while you assumed one of them was Rumlow’s guy, you knew the other two all too well. 

They were Peter and Gamora. Their lifeless bodies were laying on the floor, each of them had gun wounds in their chests, and you couldn’t help it but started sobbing inconsolably. You managed to wiggle out of Rumlow’s grasp and swiftly crouched next to Peter, checking his pulse and trying to shake him to wake him up, even though you knew it would be useless. And it was. Rumlow didn’t have any patience with you, and when he reached you, he pulled you back up by your hair and slapped you straight across your face.   
“Enough!” His voice was carried through the empty halls so much it was deafening. You weren’t sure where the rest of the crew was, because there were at least two other people you knew stayed behind with you, while some of the guys were with Steve and some were on their own missions, because you insisted people had to do other things than sitting around and waiting for something that would never come. You felt stupid and guilty now, watching the two people you really cared about, the two guards that always joked with you laying there, their lives lost protecting you.   
“You will need to learn to listen to orders, little one. Otherwise, this pretty face of yours will be black and blue,” he sneered in your ear and to prove his point, he smacked you again, although not with as much fervour as before. Still, your face stung already, and the tears were streaming down your face with no way of stopping them.   
Rumlow hauled you to the door, and you knew there was no need for you to defy him, as he was much stronger than you and his men were all around you. When you were outside, you took one last glance towards the mansion, which now looked more like a crime scene than a lovely home you knew it to be all these months, and you were pushed inside a black van, the door shutting in your face symbolising the hope leaving your life, possibly forever.   
—-

Steve was in the middle of his meeting when he felt a rush of anxiety and fear shot through him. He knew immediately that those weren’t his own feelings, but the only person he had a connection with. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and he saw dark circles in front of his eyes.   
You were in danger, that much he was sure of, and he immediately hated himself. He knew he shouldn’t have left you alone, and this proved it to him.   
Both Sam and Bucky were staring at him with wide eyes, as was the rest of the meeting room, and when Steve’s consciousness got back to the room, he realised he was snarling and growling like a mad-man.   
“We need to go back now!” Steve snarled and hauled himself from the chair, sprinting towards the door, with all his people following him. They didn’t even need to ask what was happening, because Steve’s state of mind was clear enough for all of them. Your life was in danger and was something to happen to you, none of them was sure what would happen to Steve.   
When Steve got to the car, he barely waited for Sam and Bucky to get in before pushing the car to its limit, heading towards the much-needed direction.   
“Somebody, get me eyes in the house, now,” Steve breathed out, not much more calmly but at least he wasn’t screaming any more.   
Sam was already on it, but the scene he watched from the cameras inside the house was not one he wanted to show Steve. 

There were at least 15 people in the house, all in black uniforms, with scarves covering their faces, roaming the rooms of the mansion with their guns outstretched in front of them. Steve was glancing between the road and the live feed, and Bucky was worried he would break the steering wheel with the force of his grip. Neither Bucky nor Sam felt anything form their Omegas, so they knew they were safe, and it gave them enough room to think, unlike Steve. The only thing Steve could think of was to get to you and save you.   
But when Sam switched the cameras, Steve saw that he would be late. He saw a tall man with tattoos on his arms too distinct not to recognise him, dragging you from the office downstairs, where he saw as your body moving on its own accord, kneeling down to a lifeless figure on the ground that Steve recognised as Peter Quill. Steve’s heart gave an uncomfortable tug at the scene, having known Peter for years now he was quite fond of the chatty Alpha, and now he would never speak to him again.  
The man who was clearly Rumlow then pulled you back to standing positing and slapped you two times before he dragged you towards the door and into a black van without plates.   
Steve was shaking by now, tears streaming down his face without him knowing, and the car was gradually slowing. There was no way he would get there to save you, and he still had no idea where Rumlow resided. Life left Steve’s eyes as all three men watched the van pull out of the parking lot and speed out of Steve’s property. The only recognisable thing on the van was a clear orange circle drawn on the back door, and Steve’s blood ran cold.   
You were gone, and the Circle had something to do with it. And Steve would kill every single person who would come in a way between him and his precious Omega. 


	27. War Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is livid and tries to find you but somebody keeps putting obstacles in his way. You, on the other hand, get to meet the devils.

“That won’t help to find my Omega, so no!” Steve yelled across the whole room, and even the experienced Alpha fighters gathered in the room couldn’t help but shudder at Steve’s authoritative voice. They were trying to help, coming up with new ideas to try and bring the Circle down, or at least make somebody from the inside communicate with them to tell Steve and his team the location of his Omega. But no idea was good enough for Steve.   
It had been four days. Four days without his precious Omega, and Steve felt like he was slowly losing his mind. He desperately needed you next to him, just to feel your warm, soft skin pressed against his, or to see the light in your eyes whenever you looked at him. But he had nothing.   
He often saw broken Alphas after all that went down on Earth a few years ago, and while he couldn’t really imagine what they must have been feeling at that time, walking like dead men, some of them on the brink of death because they just couldn’t handle their lives without their loved ones, Steve understood it all now.   
He knew he had to concentrate because he felt you in his veins, felt that you were alright considering the circumstances and, most importantly, that you were still alive. That was the sole reason why he didn’t end it yet. But he was hanging on a thread because each day and night he had to spend without you, his mind was going just a little more insane. He was hearing your voice and this morning, he even saw you standing by the bed. He was elated, but when he blinked a few more times, he realised that it was his brain playing tricks on him and that none of what had happened was just a nightmare. 

Moreover, he had to orchestrate a funeral for Peter and Gamora. The sadness over their loss was embedded deep in Steve’s soul, and he knew he would never get over it, even if he got you back. _When_ he got you back, he scolded himself every time he thought of it, but it was to no avail. The desperation and pain seeped deep into his bones, and the once positive Alpha, who used to be full of life was just a walking shell of numbness.   
Sam and Bucky tried to pick up the mood in the room now and then, but they knew all too well that there was nothing they could say or do to make the situation better. The only thing Steve really needed was to get you back, and they empathised with him. Moments after the realisation hit them that you were indeed gone, they rushed to their own huts to check on their own mates. Their bonds felt fine, but the fucked-up situation got into their heads, and they needed to see their loves for themselves. Both Meera and Tina were sitting comfortably in their houses, unaware of the terror going on just mere meters away from them. They all spent the afternoon scenting and crying, their hearts clenching for their friend who was lost in his thoughts and his pain. 

But Steve tried to come up with a solution. He knew Rumlow would take you somewhere far, but not far enough not to brag about it. The circle was almost a day drive so Steve would have bet Rumlow’s hiding place was somewhere between his own house and the hell house they called the Omega haven. But that was still too much land to cover just by foot or by car, since there were so many abandoned houses and warehouses, not even talking about all the hidden places deep in the forests. So, just going somewhere blindly was not an option.   
Then, he thought of using what was left of the functioning camera system between the city and his lands, trying to see if he could pinpoint at least the direction where Rumlow and his team went. But he came up with nothing since most of the cameras had been destroyed soon after the war had started.   
Steve even thought of taking some military dogs and making them sniff your clothes to find you, but that would mean hundreds of kilometres to search, and that was just impossible. Every single thing Steve came up with was a nonsense, and the longer he couldn’t figure out how to find you, the more desperate and angry he had become. His people knew it was nothing personal, but his yelling and blaming was sometimes too difficult to bear for any of them. Steve knew he was being a dick, and he apologised every time his nerves got the better of him, but it was like he couldn’t do anything about it.   
It was when Bucky spoke up with a guilty look that Steve finally got a good idea from somebody. Not that he particularly liked it, but it was something useful at last, and Steve was actually quite angry with himself for not thinking of it sooner. The idea was to call Peggy because she was always able to find Rumlow a little easier than the rest of the world. How that worked exactly Steve never asked, because Peggy was one of those who kept their work pretty shut, and she wouldn’t brag or even talk about it, so Steve had barely any idea of what Peggy really did. There used to be times when he minded when it drove him up the wall, but not anymore. He didn’t care how she did it, the only thing Steve needed was to get you back.   
He called her almost immediately, listening to her smooth voice as she assured him that she would devote a majority of her time to help him because, after all, she still cared for him very much. Steve thanked her from the bottom of his heart and resolved to wait for her to come back to him since there was literally nothing else to do for him but to wallow in his pain.   
—

Surprisingly, it only took a few hours for Peggy to reach out and tell Steve that she might have found him. His heart started beating like crazy as if feeling that he might be getting you in his arms sooner than he expected. Peggy told him that she got the memo that Rumlow was hiding in an old warehouse south of the manor, around 70 kms away, and Steve just growled, knowing he was kind of right in his assumptions. He quickly gathered his team, not really speaking much, but they all understood. This was a life or death mission because most of the team was sure Steve wouldn’t survive that if they didn’t find you.   
Steve pretty much jumped out of a moving car when they neared the building, and he got to work immediately, going into the commander mode, assigning roles and talking strategy for when they would come in contact with Rumlow’s team. Everything was meticulously planned, and Steve had a good feeling about that. The only issue was that he couldn’t smell you. But he simply thought that he was still far enough to be able to do that and that they were probably keeping you in some shutoff room.  
The closer to the building they got, however, the weirder the whole situation felt. No men were standing outside on the lookout, there were no specific smells to tell the team that there were indeed people hiding inside, and when they finally got in, they found the place completely empty. 

They rummaged through all the rooms, even in the basement and on the roof, but the only thing they got was some cloth lightly smelling like Rumlow, but not enough to tell them how long ago he was at the warehouse. Steve screamed in frustration because there was no sign of you, not even a hint of your smell that he so helplessly craved.   
Bucky and Sam shared distressed looks before they each grabbed Steve from one side and brought him back to the car, hollering at the whole team that the mission was over and that they needed to come back home. Steve didn’t speak the entire ride back, just staring out of the window, thinking of all the times you two would take such rides to and from the city, always discussing new books or just sharing stories from your youths. Steve now found that he took these moments for granted. He enjoyed them, sure, but not enough. There was the nagging voice telling him that he should have done more, that he ought to have taken you with him to that fucking meeting, and none of this would have happened.   
“Stop it, punk. None of this is your fault so stop with the self-blaming and call Peggy to tell you what the fuck happened that her tip wasn’t true,” Bucky interjected Steve’s thoughts, and as many times before, Steve wondered whether Bucky could just read him like an open book or if he had a direct link to his brain. Steve shook his head and dialled the number.   
“So, happily ever after?” Peggy said smugly, and if she stood anywhere near Steve, he swore he would have hit her.

“Nothing and nobody’s fucking happy, Peggy. Nobody was there except for some piece of cloth that was supposed to smell like Rumlow. Who the fuck gave you this tip? I need to find my Omega, and I don’t have the time to drive around the city and march into every single abandoned building just because you have a hunch. I need real information, Peggy, and if you can’t give that to me, then you’re just wasting my time,” Steve said more tiredly than anything else, but Peggy’s face contorted in annoyance on the other end of the line.   
“I never waste your time, Stevie, you remember that. Look, I thought the info was top-notch, but I’ll keep looking. How about I come to your place, and we can think of a plan together?”   
“Yeah, yeah whatever, it definitely can’t harm us. I’ll be expecting you,” Steve sighed and hung up, nodding at Sam who was watching him through the rearview mirror.   
“Peggy said she’d come and help from the mansion. I mean, I’d rather have the whole fucking team together looking for Y/N, but I can’t fly everyone here from god-knows-where, so anyone who wants to join in is welcomed.”   
Sam nodded but didn’t like it one bit. He understood that Steve was desperate, but Peggy was and had always been bad news, and Sam had a hard time trusting her even back in the days when they had to fight side to side. All the secrecy surrounding her just stank, and Sam was sure he’d keep an eye on her, just in case. He wanted everything to go over smoothly for Steve, and nobody needed a sneaky bitch who would throw them under a train the second she got a better deal from the opposing side.   
—-

You let your hand slide on the ground underneath you. It was rough with what felt like small rocks that were cutting you in the palm. You were seated, and your whole body hurt since you have been in this position for hours. Nobody talked to you since they killed your friends and abducted you. They just blindfolded you and tied you up, changing positions every few hours probably to disorient you since you doubted anybody really cared how comfortable you were. All you could do was rely on your senses and learn as much about your surroundings as you could. You weren’t even sure why you cared, but your brain couldn’t take thinking about anything related to Steve, so you busied it by making sure you knew everything you could.   
You learned that there were three places they would keep you in. You presumed that they were all in one room, but they changed whether you were sitting or lying down. You weren’t even sure what time it was and slept when they put you laid you down. Nobody ever touched you inappropriately, and that’s how you assumed not one of those people was Rumlow.   
The first place they would let you sit in was in an old crinkly chair made of rough wood as you had a few splinters from rubbing your hands against the arm-holders. It had four metal legs, and from the sounds, it made every time you shifted, you thought it was a rather old and overused piece of furniture. 

The second place was where you were sitting now. It was by the wall, which was cold and smelt of moss, and you even though you sensed death a few times, you knew that was just your exhausted brain playing games with you. The ground was full of rocks and shards of glass, so it was your least favourite place to be of the three. The ground was colder than all the other areas, and every time they made you stand up, there was a wet patch where your ass touched the ground as the coldness accumulated against your hot body, making you wish you could just change. But your abductees would never answer to your pleas, so after what you assumed were a few days, you just gave up asking them altogether.   
The third place was a makeshift bed, created out of a few pieces of wood pushed together and an old and smelly mattress. You tried to ignore all that the smell evoked in you, but you sometimes choked on your own saliva as you shifted and changed position, getting another whiff of what smelt like a hundred of butts and sweat. But it was a mattress, and you could get a few hours of sleep, so you couldn’t dwell on the details. 

When you found out everything there was with your surroundings you tried to pay attention to your abductors. And while you couldn’t say precisely how many there were, you had a pretty good idea. As you were an Omega, blindfolded and cuffed, they always came alone, and you recognised each of the people by their steps. There were four of them, each of them having differences in their weight, the length of their steps and the carefulness with which they handled you. That’s how you came up with the number of four.   
Number two was by far your favourite. They (you assumed it was a he but you couldn’t be sure) would always leave you alone even when you needed to use the bathroom. You knew they were in the room, but they had the decency to at least not physically touch you, and, in your mind, you created this picture that the person even turned around to leave you to do your business. They would also give you the biggest amount of water, seeing how you were parched because number four was a complete asshole and would always allow only a gulp before he drastically took the cup away from your mouth. 

And that was your days, filled with diverting your brain from thinking about the graver questions, like where were you, would Steve ever find you, what did they want from you, etc. Every time any of those popped up in your head, you choked up, and had to start touching your surroundings or else you’d have gone insane by now.   
It was when number three was supposed to come and let you sleep that you heard it. It was faint, but your ears perked up at anything that wasn’t your own breath or the sound of boots of your abductors hitting the ground. And this was neither. These were human voices talking about something behind the door. Your heart-rate picked up immediately because, while you hated the routine of four guards and three positions, you also knew that routine was good. Anything that was out of the routine could possibly mean death to you, and you tried to do anything to avoid that. The voices grew nearer, and you shuddered involuntarily, bracing yourself.   
When the door opened, the cold air hit your face, and you hid it between your shoulder blades.   
“Well, well, well, here is the famous Omega the world is searching for. You look so pathetic, it’s actually quite funny,” you heard a female voice say, and your brows knitted together. You heard it before, you just couldn’t place the voice for the life of you. 

“Yeah, well, the sooner she stops pining for that pathetic excuse of an Alpha and becomes mine, she will look much better. I mean, not that anybody’s gonna see her since she is just an Omega pussy, but she is my Omega pussy, so,” the man trailed off, and you didn’t have to think to place this voice. This voice haunted your worst nightmares, so you were pretty familiar with it. 

_Rumlow_

“Whatever, Rumlow. All we need is to get rid of her mating mark, and we’ll be good. Steve called me and found the warehouse where I sent him empty, and I, as a devoted friend, told him I’d help him from the mansion so I’ll have easy access to him and I will divert him from here if need be. You just need to do what you must so that I can have him back,” the woman spat, and it was as if a light bulb switched on. God, you felt stupid for not suspecting she had her ugly fingers in this. Fucking Peggy who obviously wanted Steve back even when she visited him all those months ago.   
And while it was nice that Steve didn’t feel the same, this woman was clearly a maniac, and she wouldn’t stop at anything to get what she wanted.   
But, there was one more thing that caught your attention. They wanted to get rid of your mating mark, and the thought paralysed your whole body. There were only a few ways to do that to any mated couple, and none of them was humane or accepted by most people. You’ve heard of Omegas trying to sever their bonds as they didn’t like who chose them, and so they cut a clean line across their mark, but even then the bond couldn’t be severed completely. There was also the option of just biting an Omega hard enough where their mates’ mark was, and trying to beat mark with a mark.   
You also heard that true mates were inseparable, and while Bruce told you that you were true mates, you could never know for sure. The inseparableness of true mates could just as well be some old maid tales, it was one of the things your mother used to tell you, but you had no idea where the truth was.   
The only thing you did know was that however they wanted to do it, you would go through hell, both physically and mentally, and that there was a more than likely chance that you would die in the process. 

“You’re not afraid she’ll die on you?” Peggy asked more curious than concerned because, for her plan to work, your ties with Steve had to be cut. She would have preferred killing you since it was easier, quicker and with long-lasting results. But Rumlow had been obsessed with you ever since he lost the fight with Steve back at the Circle. When Peggy heard about it, she just scoffed and told him he was an idiot, because if he would have called her, she could have just snuck you out without anyone knowing and they wouldn’t have been in this mess.   
“I mean, there’s always the possibility, but I’m not letting her run around with his mark. I wouldn’t like pounding a pussy marked by somebody else. Besides, she’s stronger than she looks, isn’t it right, pussycat?” Rumlow asked, for the first time addressing you. But you knew better than to talk, so you just remained quiet, and from the low hum coming from his mouth, you assumed it was a good decision.   
“And what if that bullshit about true mates is real?”   
“Oh, please, not you too. Nothing like true mates exists, Peggy, I told you. Some just smell nicer to particular individuals than others, that’s it. I don’t even know why we’re losing time talking about this. Go and do whatever you want with Steve and his estate and I’ll just do what I want with this one,” Rumlow rumbled, and the next thing you heard was the clicking of high-heels against the hard floor, leaving you alone in the room with the devil.   
“Now, sweetheart, I think we should begin, hm?”  
—-

“Oh, Stevie, you don’t look good. Here, let me bring you to your bedroom so you can rest and the team and I will search for your mate in the meantime, hm?” Peggy suggested nicely, and Steve nodded, happy there was somebody who could possibly save you. But before she put her claws on his arm, Sam appeared out of nowhere and stopped her hand. She hissed like a cat and Sam gave her an are-you-fucking-kidding-me look.   
“I think it would be better if you stayed down here, Peggy, as you said, you are such a valuable asset to this team that I wouldn’t want to you to waste your time by going with Steve here. I will accompany him to his bedroom so that he can get some sleep, and, meanwhile, you can work with Bucky,” Sam smirked but didn’t wait for her response as he led Steve towards the staircase and up to his bedroom. There was no fucking way in hell Sam would let Peggy be with Steve alone. And since he shared his worries with Bucky, there were two of them looking out for their best friend, which left Peggy in a tough position.   
She watched Sam and Steve leave the room, and Bucky would laugh hadn’t it been such a delicate situation, because Peggy really looked like the Goddess of Revenge. That just further proved Sam’s theory about Peggy being fishy, to say the least, and Bucky was starting to question whether she didn’t have something to do with your disappearance.   
Peggy saw right through them, and she smirked to herself. If they wanted to play games with her, so be it. She would get Steve alone and inject the serum in him she had been making for so long, and they would finally live happily ever after. Just like they were supposed to. All she needed was to stay close to Steve for a couple of days, get him alone enough times, and he would be all hers. 


End file.
